Moving Forward
by Butterfly Betty
Summary: Sequel to Taking Chances. Finding the family they didn't realize they needed, they thought they had everything. Now Bella and Edward, along with Alex and Anthony, are in for the wildest adventure yet. AH&MA for language and other things. Canon coupling.
1. Chapter 1

MOVING FORWARD

By Butterfly Betty

Sequel to Taking Chances. Finding the family they didn't realize they needed, they thought they had everything. Now Bella and Edward, along with Alex and Anthony, are in for the wildest adventure yet. AH&MA for language and other things. Canon coupling.

EPOV

"Alexander Brody Cullen, get your butt in here now!" bellowed Bella from the kitchen.

Laughing, I stumbled through the pile of boxes in the living room, looking for my shoe, which somehow managed to disappear between when I took them off last night, and when I got up this morning. Each box contained copies of Bella's new book, the third in her Sayar Island series. The first two books hit the New York Bestseller's list within two months of their release. And now, we were preparing for yet another book signing at one of the Barnes and Nobles here in Seattle.

Storming into the living room, Bella stubbed her toe on the corner of one of the boxes. "Son of a bitch."

"Nice language, Mom," snickered Alex, stepping out of the doorway.

Bella glared at him, ignoring the smirk on his face and pointed to the kitchen. "Go. Eat. Hurry," she muttered. Leaning up, he kissed her cheek, knowing it to be the quickest way to sooth his mother's grumpy mood. Even though she tried not to, she smiled. "Seriously, Alex, hurry. You and Anthony are going to be late, and he's already done."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm hurrying," grumbled Alex, walking into the kitchen. "Dude, you were supposed to wake us up early."

"I did," scoffed Anthony, his voice traveling through the house. "You mumbled something about carrots and clowns, before going back to sleep."

Bella covered her mouth to stop from laughing, while I made no attempt, knowing full well my sons would know I heard every word they said. Embarrassing information is a must when dealing with a Cullen boy, a fact Bella and I learned the hard way. Shaking her head, she weaved her way around the boxes and headed down the hallway toward our bedroom. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled, reminding once again of why I fell in love with her. She's still as beautiful as the moment I first saw her.

Feeling my ears turn red, I dropped my eyes to the floor, seeing my shoe sticking out from under the couch. Pulling it out, I sat down, putting it on. Today, the boys were started the fifth grade, their first year of middle school, and I'd be lying if I said neither Bella and I were a little worried. Not because the boys couldn't handle it, but because they tended to stick together, and with Anna, forgetting that anyone else was around them at all. We didn't really see the problem with it, but their teacher last year advised us that we should encourage the school to place them in separate classes this year. After much debate, we decided not to, knowing that both boys did better with the other with him.

"Edward, do you know where their papers are?" Bella wondered, coming back into the living room. Instead of the oversized t-shirt and flannel pants she'd been wearing, now she was wearing a red and white floral skirt, with a white short-sleeved dress shirt. Her long, dark hair had been pulled up into a high ponytail, with just a few random stands dancing around her face. Looking up, she caught me staring, her cheeks darkened. "Edward?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Shaking my head, I tried to focus on what she was saying.

She smiled wider. "Do you know where the boys' school papers are? We need to leave in two minutes or we're going to be late."

The entire time she spoke, I found myself lost in the way her lips moved, the sparkle in her eyes, the slight dimple that formed, and the laugh lines around her eyes. Breathtaking. "Edward!" She laughed, throwing her hands up.

"Sorry," I mumbled, dropping my eyes to the floor. "The papers are on your desk, in the red folder."

"Thank you," she giggled, heading back down the hallway toward her office. Yes, I watched my wife shake her ass in the way down the hallway.

Clearing my throat, I stood up and walked into the kitchen, finding Alex and Anthony standing in front of the sink, washing their breakfast dishes. Chuckling to myself, I grabbed myself a piece of bacon, and put my hands on both of their shoulders. Where they used to barely come up to my waist, now they were nudging closer to my shoulders, both of them having grown at least two inches over the summer. Alex's blond hair had darkened a little, while Anthony's auburn hair had brightened. They both insisted on wearing it longer than we'd like, but we opted not to fight this battle with them. They were formidable opponents when they teamed up against us.

"You guys ready for a whole new year?" I snickered, hearing them both groan.

"Oh, yeah, Dad, can't you tell," muttered Anthony, dropping his dish towel on the counter and turning around. He planted a fake smile on his lips. "See, excited!"

"I almost believe you," I chuckled.

"School's stupid," grumbled Alex, fidgeting.

Every year had been the same with them. Anthony complained that school was a waist of time, while Alex dealt with nerves. Still painfully shy around people he didn't know, the start of a new school year was the hardest time for him. Another reason why Bella and I wanted to keep the boys together this year. Anthony knew just want he needed to make him relax.

"It's gonna be okay, Alex," I tried to assure him.

"Yeah, I know, Dad," he mumbled, cheeks heating up. "Better go grab my stuff."

He and Anthony headed down to their bedroom to grab their backpacks while I finished the last couple of dishes. I had just laid the last plate into the rack when I felt Bella wrap her arms around me. I smiled, covering her hands with mine.

"Have I ever told you that I find a man who washes dishes to be incredibly sexy?" she purred. My cock twitched. She still affected me. She always would.

"A time or two." I turned in her arms, capturing her lips with mine.

I never got tired of feeling her lips against mine. Whimpering, she deepened the kiss when my lips parted, inviting her tongue into my mouth. Letting my hand roam over her body, I reached down, cupping her ass, causing her to moan, somehow shifting her body closer to mine. I needed her. In the best and worst ways, I'd always needed her.

"Oh, gees, Dad!" whined Alex, breaking up our moment. We looked over and found him and Anthony facing the door to the kitchen. "We've talked about this. We don't need to see you and Mom kissing all the time."

"And we really don't need to see you copping a feel of her butt," muttered Anthony, shuddering.

Pulling out of my arms, Bella went over and popped him on the back of the head. "Don't say butt," she grumbled. "And don't talk about your dad copping a feel of anything. Now, go get in the car."

"Yes, ma'am," they mumbled, taking off through the house.

Looking back at me, Bella smiled. "They are definitely your children."

"Yes, yes, they are," I smirked, arrogantly. "Now, let's get rid of them so we can come home and play."

Giggling, Bella hurried out of the kitchen, I followed closely. Having already climbed into the backseat of Bella's SUV, both boys were scowling when we climbed in and pulled on our seat belts. Seeing those disgusted looks never stopped being funny to either of us. Checking to make sure they both were buckled in, I started the car and pulled out of the driveway. Looking at our sons once more in the rear view mirror, I smiled when I thought about how much had changed over the last five years since they started school.

One week after Bella and I were married, we formally adopted Alex and Antony, surrounded by our family and friends. We hadn't told anyone of our plans to adopt the boys, wanting at least one part of our life to be a surprise. Instead, we called everyone, begging them to meet us at the courthouse, which they did. When we stood in front of the judge and signed the forms officially making Alex my son and Anthony Bella's, was an amazing moment for us.

My mother cried, because Esme cries over everything. I wouldn't have her any other way. Alice and Rose had grins bigger than the Grand Canyon, as did Kate and Angela. Emmett, Jasper, Ben, Garrett, and Carlisle had smug, know-it-all looks on their faces, like they knew we'd be standing there all along. Perhaps, they did. Charlie, standing with his arm wrapped around Sue, bore the proudest smile a father could have, next to mine anyway. He'd deny it if asked, but he cried. We all saw, but none of us mentioned it, besides Bella. While everyone's reacts were perfect, they didn't compare at all to Alex and Anthony.

_Looking from Judge Sinclair over to me, Alex's lips began to tremble, eyes filling with tears. "Dad, what does he mean that you adopted me?"_

_Kneeling down in front of him, I placed my hands on his shoulders, struggling to hold onto the smallest bit of self-control. "He means, that now, you're a Cullen. Just like Momma and Anthony."_

_Throwing his arms around my neck, he began sobbing. Picking him up, I held my son, soothing him while letting my tears fall silently down my face. Catching Bella's eye, I noticed her and Anthony watching us, smiles playing over their lips. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, whispering her love for him. _

Just thinking about that day brought tears to my eyes. The boys started school the next year as Cullen's, and if you didn't know better, you never would have guesses they weren't brothers by blood. Everything they did was done together, they were best friends to this day. Looking back at them, I noticed they were leaning toward each other, whispering again. Like always.

"What are you two up to?" I questioned. They snapped their eyes up to mine, trying to look innocent.

"Nothing," they replied together.

Bella snorted, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head, and looked back at them. "Whatever you are thinking, don't. It's not worth it."

"Mom, we're not doing anything," lied Anthony. Straight out lied to his mother. I cleared my throat, pulling their attention back to me. "We're not, Dad."

"Just make sure you think really hard before you decide to do whatever it is that you're not planning, okay?" I cocked an eyebrow, making myself clear.

They rolled their eyes, looking out their windows. "Yes, sir."

Pulling up in front of their school a few minutes later, I climbed out heading around the car to open the door for Bella. She blushed, like she always did. The boys climbed out, pulling their backpacks up on their shoulders, and looking over to the front door, where a couple dozen kids were pushing their way into the school. Watching Alex, I saw his eyes darken, his hands clenched into fists. Pulling on his bottom lip, he looked back at us.

"Everything's going to be okay." Bella placed her hand on Alex's arm. "I promise."

"I know," he mumbled, stepping over and hugging her, causing Bella to smile.

Neither of our boys had gotten to the point where they didn't want us to hug them. Hugging Anthony next, Bella and I stood next to the car while they headed over to the front doors, weaving their way through the masses and into the building. Bella brought her hand up, sniffling as she wiped away a tear. They never failed to choke her up on the first day of school.

"Come on, baby, let's go home," I whispered, kissing the side of her head.

"Okay," she whimpered, letting me help her into the car.

Making my way around to the driver's side, I spotted Ben and Angela a few spots back. They rushed around the car, trying to get Anna out and into the school before the final bell rang. I chuckled, knowing how frazzled they felt. Anna had grown a lot over the summer, too. She stood an inch taller than Alex and Anthony. She and Alex were still "going out" as they dubbed it, and she had spent most of the summer at our house. Angela picked up the new addition to their family, three week old Jude Thomas, holding the dark haired baby boy to her chest, and following Anna and Ben into the school.

"We need to make stop," Bella mentioned, cryptically when I pulled away from the school. Raising my eyebrow, I looked at her, waiting for her to enlighten me. "I'm late."

It took exactly two seconds for her words to dawn on me. Pressing down on the gas pedal, I took a right, heading for the first drugstore I could find. "Slow down, Edward," she laughed, placing her hand on my arm.

Letting up on the petal, I sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, but only a couple of days," she murmured.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I pressed.

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't want to get my hopes up. You know, in case this is another false alarm."

Taking a deep breath, I lifted her hand to my lips. "I know, baby, but if it is, we keep trying. Okay?"

She nodded, looking out the window. "I just...it's been almost two years."

"Yeah, I know," I muttered. "Me too."

Two years of trying to a baby, and two years of coming up empty. Both of us tried to be strong, and we were for the first year, but month after month of trying, with nothing but a dozen negative pregnancy tests had been difficult. It didn't help that Alex and Anthony were both still adamant about getting a baby sister, or two. After the first year, Bella went in to see her gynecologist, just to make sure everything was okay. Dr. Garrison assured Bella that she was fine, and that she needed to relax. We tried, but with another year passing, we both were feeling the strain.

I parked in front of a Walgreen's, and looked over at Bella. "Want the same ones as usual?"

"Please," she replied, smiling. Leaning across the front seat, I kissed her.

Heading inside the store, I walked straight back to where the pregnancy tests were, right next to the condoms. Ironic, I thought. Grabbing a Clear Blue Easy and First Response, I went up to the cashier, ignoring the smirk on the pimpled faced kid working the register. Tossing him enough cash to cover the tests, I grabbed the bag off the counter and walked out.

"Here you go," I chuckled, handing her the bag when I climbed back into the car. "Do we need to stop and get you a Mountain Dew, or can you pee?"

"I can pee, thank you very much," she grumbled. I laughed, remembering a few months ago having to run out and buy her a one liter drink. "Just hurry, or I'll be forced to take these right here."

Pulling out of the parking lot, I headed back home, driving a little faster than I normally would, but I was just as anxious to find out whether or not Bella was pregnant. By the time I pulled up in front of the house, she was bouncing in her seat, muttering under her breath for me to drive faster. I shifted the car into drive, and Bella sprinted for the front door, clutching the bag behind her.

Laughing, I followed her in, settling on the end of the bed and waited. Each second seemed to tick by at a snail's pace, dragging on and on. My heart beat against my ribs. I've spent too many moments sitting on the edge of this bed, waiting and hoping, praying and trying to hide the disappointment when we came up with one line, not two.

Sighing, I pushed myself up onto my feet and knocked on the bathroom door. "Baby, do you know yet?" Leaning with both hands on the door frame, I took a deep breath. Bella pulled open the door, a look of utter shock all over her face. "Do you know?" Without a word, she held the stick out to me. I took it, flipping it over so I could read the results. Snapping my eyes up to hers, I gasped. "Are you fucking serious?"

"Yes," she whimpered, falling into my arms. "Two lines."


	2. Chapter 2

BPOV

The two little, pink lines were darker every time I looked at them. I'd been waiting for this moment for two years, twenty-four long months, and now that it was real, I didn't believe it. A soft giggle slipped out of my lips, causing Edward to pull back from me, raising a single eyebrow at me.

"What?" he questioned, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Nothing," I murmured, blushing. "It's just..." I trailed off, feeling my eyes fill up with tears. "Two lines, Edward. Two lines."

"I know, baby," he whispered, dropping his hand down to my stomach. "Two lines."

Leaning down, his lips found mine once again. Moaning, I wrapped my arms around him, feeling him reach down to cup my ass. Lifting me off the ground, Edward carried me over to the bed, laying me down without pulling his lips from mine. His hand slid down to my thigh, shimming his way under my skirt up to my hip, tickling my skin.

"Fuck, baby, you're not wearing any panties?" he groaned, his fingers ghosting over my bare skin.

"Nope," I smirked, nibbling on my lip. "They're in the bathroom, though, if you want me to put them back on."

"Never," he growled, nipping at my jaw. My eyes rolled back, loving the feeling of him on me like this. "You're so fucking sexy."

"Will you still think that when I'm fat?" I wondered.

Scowling, Edward lifted his head from my neck. "Love, you'll never be fat, you'll be growing our baby. You'll be perfect."

With tears in my eyes, I closed the distance between our lips, feeling him growl deep in his chest. However before we could do anything else, the doorbell rang. Falling back on the bed, I looked over at the clock, muttering under my breath, "Motherfucker."

"We could ignore them?" suggested Edward, sighing when they rang the doorbell again. "Or not."

Grumbling, he climbed off the bed, adjusting himself through his jeans. He walked out of our bedroom, leaving me laying on the bed with my skirt pushed up around my waist and feeling very frustrated. Shuffling off of the bed, I pulled a fresh pair of panties out of my dresser, slipping them on. Looking to the bed, I saw my positive pregnancy test laying there. I crossed the room and picked it up, feeling my lips curve upwards when I spotted both lines. After two years of trying, Edward and I were having a baby together, and maybe giving our sons the sister they'd been wanting for over four years.

Pulling open my lingerie drawer, I tossed the test inside, not quite ready to throw it out yet. Making sure I looked presentable, I headed out to the living room, finding Edward and Demetri moving the horde of boxes from the middle of the room, to the sides. Leaning against the wall, I watched admiring the way my husband moved. After four years, he still took my breath away.

"You could help, you know?" teased Demetri, piling up the last of the dozen or so boxes and looking at me. "These are your books, after all."

"Yeah, I could have, but you two seemed to manage to get them all done without me." I shrugged my shoulders, going over to one of the boxes and picking up a copy of my book.

The success of my first real novel, as everyone seemed to refer to it, still shocked me. It only took us one month to sell out completely of the first printing, and finding ourselves facing the law of supply and demand. The public wanted more, and we happily gave it to them. Now, three books later, the series had become one of the best-selling in the history of Volturi Publishing and Isabella Swan became a household name. Shaking my head, I placed the book back into the box. Isabella Swan may be well known, but Bella Cullen still shied away from all the attention.

Shifting my eyes to Demetri, I asked, "Did we have a meeting scheduled for this morning?"

"Um, yeah," he replied, snorting. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"Maybe," I mumble, walking into the kitchen, knowing he and Edward would follow.

"Even after I added it to your day planner personally?" he wondered, plopping down at the kitchen table.

I didn't reply to him, knowing that I had been more than a little distracted over the last handful of days. But knowing that I was late, threw me for a spin. The hope that we'd finally find ourselves staring at a positive test, had been overwhelming. A smile spread across my face when I pulled open the fridge, grabbing the carton of orange juice. We were having a baby, finally.

"You're happy," muttered Demetri. Looking over my shoulder, I noticed him staring at Edward, who had his laptop open, preparing to sort through the hundreds of shots he had taken this weekend.

Knowing this would be our last weekend to get away, Edward and I had loaded the boys into the car in Thursday, taking off down the coastline for an impromptu weekend. We ended up stopping in Lincoln City, Oregon, standing on a beautiful beach. The boys and I kicked off our shoes and ran into the water, slashing each other while Edward stood on the shore line, taking pictures. Knowing, he planned to use them in his next exhibit.

"Do I normally look unhappy?" chuckled Edward, raising an eyebrow.

"No," replied Demetri, "but you're like glowing and shit. Kind of disturbs me."

"I think I should be offended," scoffed Edward.

Shrugging his shoulders, Demetri looked back over at me. Pouring them both a cup of coffee, and myself a cup of orange juice, I sat down at the table, leaning around to look at Edward's pictures. His eye for details was amazing, and after struggling for the first year of our marriage, he'd finally began getting the recognition he deserved. All it took was one picture of the boys fishing with my father to to spark the interest of Sam Uley, owner and operator of the biggest gallery in Washington State.

I gestured to a picture of the boys burying their feet in the sand. "I like that one."

"Me too." He smiled, winking at me.

"Bella, are you going to pay any attention to me?" whined Demetri.

Rolling my eyes, I looked over at him. The one thing I learned about him after our first book tour was that the man was a whiner. He liked things his way, when he wanted them, and could be a real ass if he didn't get them. One of many things he learned about me during our tour was how I didn't put up with his bullshit. Picking up my juice, I waited for him to get over his little tantrum. How Tanya put up with him still boggled my mind.

"Are you done?" I lifted my glass up again, taking another drink.

"Yes," he grumbled. Smiling, I shook my head at him. "But we do need to talk about your signing this weekend."

Folding my hands in front of me, I sighed. "Okay, so let's talk."

"Barnes and Noble wants to extend your signing by three more hours," he started, speaking with caution.

I'd already planned on spending eight hours there, and now they were requesting even more time. Leaning back in my chair, I sighed, shifting my eyes over to Edward, who watched from the other side of his laptop. Knowing how important this signing was for my career, he'd support whatever decision I made, but an extra few hours would almost guarantee that I wouldn't see him or the boys all day.

"Why?" I wondered, finishing off my juice. Standing up, I placed my glass in the sink.

"Because everyone wants a piece of you," laughed Demetri. Sighing I turned to face him. "They sold out of passes in an hour, Bella."

"Get the fuck out," I gasped, no longer caring about my spontaneous bouts of word vomit. He was used to it by now. "An hour?"

"Yes," he chuckled, crossing his arms in front of him. "I don't know why you're always so surprised when you hear how much people love your writing."

"Cause it's not that good," I scoffed, sliding back into my chair. From behind his laptop, Edward snorted, but didn't say anything. We've had that discussion more times than I could count, and it always led to two outcomes; we'd end up fighting for hours, or naked in our bed for hours. Seeing as Demetri sat across from us, it wouldn't be naked hours. "Okay, so if I agree to three more hours, what happens?"

"You make more money," Demetri smirked, winking at me. "They are willing to bump your fee up by ten percent, plus they will provide you with lunch and dinner, from wherever your pretty little heart chooses."

Nibbling on my lip, I looked back toward the living room, thinking about the boxes that took up half the room. "And we'll have enough books, right?"

"Yes, we'll have plenty of books," he assured me.

Turning back to Edward, I reached out, placing my hand on his arm. "You'd be okay for the day?"

"Yes, Bella, the boys and I will be perfectly fine for one afternoon," he replied. "This isn't exactly you're first signing, you know?"

"I know," I grumbled. I looked back at Demetri. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Excellent," he cheered, sounding way too much like Tanya. Edward chuckled under his breath, but again let it go.

Ignoring the fact that my husband laughed at him, Demetri pulled out a stack of papers from his briefcase, sliding them across the table for me to go through. It was a basic contract, stating that I'd be there by half past seven, ready to sign bits of my soul away and smile at every person who stepped up in front of me for a nice tidy sum of money. Taking the pen he offered me, I signed the contract, before handing it back to him. Being in the public eye was one part of my success that I'd never get used to. All I wanted to do was write.

"Anything else?" I inquired, leaning up and resting my chin on the palm of my hand.

"Caius called," he simply said.

"Oh, and just what did he want?" I groused, thinking of the man who nearly ruined my career.

"Bella," groaned Demetri, rubbing his face with his hands.

"What?" I shrugged my shoulders.

Rolling his eyes, he chanced a look over to Edward, but I knew my husband well enough to know he'd stay out of it. "He's running a charity auction to raise money for childhood cancer, and he's hoping maybe you'd be willing to donate something."

"Like?" I pressed, knowing there had to be more. There was always more when Caius was involved.

Placing his hands flat out on the table, he took a deep breath. "Perhaps, a new book," he mumbled.

"A new book?" I croaked, bringing my hand up to my mouth. "I'm dead in the middle of the fourth, and final book with Sayar. How in the hell can you expect me to come up with an entire new book?"

"Baby, calm down," murmured Edward, wrapping his arm around me, making me realize I had been yelling.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to speak calmly, "D, man, you know I can't do that."

"You can," he insisted. "It's not like I don't know that you don't have a dozen files of unfinished books sitting on your laptop," he scoffed.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked over at Edward. "I didn't tell him," he blanched, throwing his hands up. "I promise."

"Edward didn't have to tell me, I've been working with you for four years."

"Why would I want to help him?" I groused, standing up.

I turned and looked out the small window overlooking the backyard. Perhaps, I was a bit harsh when it came to Caius Romans, but the man nearly ruined me before I had the chance to make a name for myself. A week before my second book was to be released, a portion of my manuscript had been leaked, causing all of us to scramble to find out who'd gotten hold of it, and how we could stop it before the damage was done. It turned out that Caius had been fucking one of his employees, who hacked into his computer and found the parts Aro Volturi had sent him.

The girl, fresh out of MIT, thought this would be her way to make some quick cash, only to find herself sitting in an eight by ten, and facing several lawsuits, including one from me. We managed to get the case settled in, and I worked for three days straight rewriting nearly five chapters. As if that hadn't been enough, the boys were sick with the flu, and Edward was stuck taking care of them while I locked myself in my office trying to save my career. He was exhausted, and bitter about me leaving him to take care of them, and I felt frazzled with having to redo what my sweat and tears. We fought, yelling and screaming at each other for hours. Shaking my head, I covered my mouth with my hand, thinking about how close I had come to losing my family.

"Bella." Looking at Demetri over my shoulder, I sighed. "You know he feels terrible about what happened, don't you?"

"'I do," I admitted, "but, D, he was careless. I don't know how to trust him again."

"You have every right to feel that way, Bella," agreed Demetri. "However, we're talking about raising money for childhood cancer. We both know how much that means to Caius."

Nodding, I felt guilt creep up my spin, knowing the man had struggled to move on after the death of his son nearly fifteen years ago to Leukemia. "When does he need it?"

"Three months," replied Demetri. "Will you do it?"

Once again, nodding, I mumbled, "For Nathan. I'll do it for him."

"Thank you, Bella," he muttered. "Now, let's get through the rest of this so you can go write."

I settled back down at the table, seeing Edward smile from the corner of my eye. Demetri went over a few more details concerning the next handful of promotional spots I had planned over the next few weeks. A couple of radio shows, an interview with a reporter from the Seattle Times, and a couple more book signings meant I would be busy. I still had to finish the next, and last, book in the series, and now, I'd have to find time to work on one of the multitudes of books sitting on my computer.

Discreetly, dropping my hand down into my lap, I smiled. I'd have to fit in going to see Dr. Garrison, too. Looking over at the clock, I sighed. Already nearly one, I knew Edward and I wouldn't be able to finish what we started in our bedroom. The boys got out of school at three, and we were expected over at Carlisle and Esme's for dinner. We couldn't share our news with them until we told the boys.

"Bella, you're not listening to me," griped Demetri. Shaking my head, I looked over at him. "You're not usually this scatterbrained. What's going on?"

Nibbling on my bottom lip, I shifted my eyes over to Edward, knowing that the first people we told had to be the boys. Shrugging my shoulders, I answered him, "Just want to get some writing in. You know, while the boys are at school."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot they started back today," he mumbled. "Thought this place was too quiet."

"You just now caught on to the fact they aren't here?" I snickered. "Observant much?"

Rolling his eyes, he shoved everything back into his briefcase. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go write, be productive. I'll see you bright and early Saturday morning, unless you need me before hand." Pausing, he lifted his gaze up to mine. "Thanks for agreeing to the auction, Bella. I know it's hard, but it's for a good cause."

Nodding my head, I followed Demetri into the living room, opening the front door for him. "Just don't make me regret doing this for him, D. I don't give second chances easily."

"I know," he sighed, leaning in and kissing my cheek.

Leaning against the door frame, I watched while he climbed back into his car, and left. Edward snaked his arm around my waist, letting his hand rest just below my belly button. Bringing his lips down to my ear, I felt his lips curve upwards. "You amaze me."

Blushing, I turned, nestling myself against his chest. "How?"

"Because even though you don't trust him, you're letting it go to help raise money for a good cause," he explained, brushing the hair out of my face.

"If he burns me again..." Letting my words die off in my throat, I shook my head, my thoughts straying toward the last time I gave someone a second chance.

Lauren and Tyler disappeared not long after our confrontation after Alex's stay in the hospital. A card a few months later announced that they'd had a baby boy, named after Tyler's grandfather, indicated they now lived in Florida, but we haven't heard from either of them in years. So much for wanting to have anything to do with Alex. It was in that moment I was thankful I'd never told him that she was his aunt, knowing the devastation he would have felt knowing she wasted the opportunity to know him.

"I'm gonna write for a while," I murmured, leaning up on my toes.

"Okay, I'm gonna call Dr. Garrison's and get your first appointment schedules," he relied eagerly. "Should we go ahead and tell the boys tonight?"

"Um, I don't know, what do you think?" I countered.

He scowled, like he did every time I forced him to make a decision. "You took both tests?"

"Yes," I smiled. "Both were positive."

"Okay, we'll tell them," he decided, but I could hear the doubts laced in every word.

Bringing my hand up to his face, I stroked his cheek. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," he whispered, leaning into my hand. "Go work, I'll figure out what to do before it's time to pick them up at school."

"Okay," I murmured, kissing him once again.

Leaving him standing in the doorway, I headed down the hallway, stopping outside of the boys' room, which was a mess. Clothes, toys, and books covered the floor, but I'd become pretty lax when it came to their rooms. As long as the rest of the house didn't end up like their room, we were cool. Walking past the guestroom, I stopped and pushed the door open, imagining what it would look like once we turned it into a nursery. A crib on one wall, a dresser. Perhaps a small wooden chest filled with toys. With tears in my eyes, I smiled, laughing to myself. Edward and I were having a baby.


	3. Chapter 3

EPOV

I don't know how we managed to get through two weeks without telling the boys about the new baby. Well, actually I did. We kept ourselves insanely busy. Bella's book signing at Barnes and Noble went off without a hitch, the boys and I surprised her for dinner. She got emotional and started crying, the boys didn't understand why us bringing her an Italian Sub with extra olives made her upset, and I didn't know how to tell them. Bella smoothed it over by muttering something about being tired and letting it go.

Between her book signings, radio shows, and the hours she spent locked away in her office, working her pretty little ass off trying to get her next book done, she kept herself busy. While she would never admit this to me, Bella was freaking out over the book she'd agreed to write for Caius Romans. She may not be willing to forgive him for his error in judgement, but knowing the heartache he went through with the loss of his only child, she'd put aside any hard feelings and pour her soul into every word. It's just the kind of woman Bella was, and just one of the reasons I loved her.

Me, on the other hand, kept myself busy with my next show at Uley's Gallery. Sam and I had been working nearly nonstop trying to make sure everything was perfect. Since he started showing my work, my career had skyrocketed and I found myself with more work than I'd ever had before, but I loved it. Seeing the world through my camera lens was amazing. The only thing better was watching my family. Bella and our boys found their way into every showing I did, making them the centerpiece of my work. I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Baby, are you ready?" wondered Bella, strolling into the kitchen.

Smiling, I looked over the top of my screen. "Yep." Closing my laptop, I stood up, crossing the room, and slipping my arms around her waist. Bella shivered against me. "Cold?"

"No," she breathed, laying her hands on my chest. "A little nervous, though."

"You don't need to be, love, everything's going to be okay," I tried to assure her. She'd been stressing over the health of the baby, which was why we ultimately decided to wait to tell the boys. If something did go wrong, we didn't want them to hurt, too. "Come on, let's get going."

Nodding, she leaned up and pressed her lips against mine. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

The drive to Dr. Garrison's office took us just over ten minutes. Bella tapped her nails on her knee the entire time, while looking out the window. After two long years of waiting for this moment, everything felt surreal, but we were ready. This baby, whether he be a boy, or her a girl, would complete our family. Reaching over, I took her hand on mine, quelling her nerves, and trying to do the same for mine.

Parking my car under a tree in the parking lot, I climbed out and rushed around to her side, helping her. She threw her head back and laughed. "I'm not incapable of climbing out of the car on my own yet, Edward."

"Just practicing." I smirked, slipping my arms around her waist. "You know what they say, practice makes perfect."

"Hmm, explains a lot over the last four years," she purred. My cock twitched. She had no idea how much she affected me when she used that voice. Bella giggled, winking at me. Or maybe she did.

I fought against the hard on in my jeans while we rode the elevator up to the third floor and took a seat in the waiting room. Mary, the receptionist, waved to us, stating they would call us back in a few minutes. Placing my arm on the back of Bella's chair, I tried to stop the nervous shaking that welled up inside of me, but the last time I sat in an office like this was right before Anthony was born. While I loved my son more than anything, losing his mother still caused my heart ache. Reaching over and covering my hand, Bella gave me a gentle squeeze. She understood.

"Bella Cullen," called the nurse. Standing up, she inhaled deeply before pulling on my hand, indicating she wanted me to follow. I'd follow her to the ends of the earth. "How's everything going?"

"Good, Cora." Bella smiled, stepping through the door toward the back. "It'll be better if you confirm that I am indeed pregnant."

She laughed, placing her hand on Bella's shoulder. "Let's start at the beginning and then I'll take some blood for the pregnancy test."

Grumbling under her breath about needles, Bella allowed Cora to weigh her, check her blood pressure, and other vitals before taking several vitals of blood from her arm. She gripped my arms, taking slow, deep breaths, and keeping her eyes locked on mine. I tried not to laugh, lord knows I tried, but this was the first time in the five years that I've been with her that I've seen her remotely afraid of anything. It was cute.

"Change into one of the gowns, with the opening in the front, and have a seat on the examination table. Dr. Garrison will be in to see you in a few, and I should have your results soon," rambled on Cora.

While Bella stepped behind the dark curtain hanging in the corner so she could change. I sat down on the one and only chair in the room, trying very hard not to stare at all the pictures of tits and pussy hanging on the wall. I didn't succeed. Bella pulled the curtain back, holding the front of her gown together with one hand and climbing onto the table. Standing up, I walked over, brushing her hands away and pulling the gown open. My Bella completely naked.

"Edward," she hissed, with a slight giggle and tried to push my hands away. However, I slipped my arms inside, wrapping them around her body. "Oh, Edward," she moaned.

"You're so fucking sexy," I growled, nipping at the sensitive skin behind her ear. She shivered for the second time today, I smirked.

"Edward, stop," she pleaded, halfheartedly. Sliding one hand down to the top of her ass, she moaned again. "Oh, God, don't stop."

The doorknob creaked as it turned, I jumped three feet back. Bella squeaked, pulling together the sides of her gown. Dr. Tia Garrison walked into the room, smiling between the two of us. I nodded in reply, trying my hardest to hide my erection, while Bella blushed a bright red. That didn't help the throbbing in my pants at all. Placing Bella's chart on the counter, Tia held out her hand to Bella. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"You're supposed to tell me." Bella giggled nervously.

"Okay, well, you're test came back positive, which means you can stop fretting over having gotten a false positive," replied Tia. Bella smiled, allowing her body to relax. "How have you been feeling?"

"Tired, emotional, but no morning sickness yet," explained Bella.

"Good, good," murmured Tia, flipping through her chart. "Are you going to introduce me to the man behind me, or should I assume you've finally gotten tired of that Edward you keep going on about?"

My mouth fell open, but Bella laughed. "Dr. Garrison, this is Edward."

Turning to face me, Tia held her hand out to me. "Nice to finally meet you. I was starting to think she made you up."

"Oh," came my dumb response.

Turning back to Bella, her smile grew. "So, let's get through the boring crap now. First day of your last menstrual cycle?"

"July eleventh," answered Bella.

Tia nodded, writing something on her chart and placing it back down on the counter. "Let's start with a physical exam and go from there."

Bella laid back on the table, allowing her gown to fall open. I averted my eyes, trying not to perv on my own wife, and not to adjust my junk in front of her doctor. She giggled, reaching out for me to take her hand. My ears turned red as I crossed the room, taking her up on her offer. Tia's smile grew, but she didn't say anything when she stepped up on the other side of the table, bringing her hands down and groping my wife's boobs. Bringing her hand up to my lips, I stifled the moan, but the sight of another woman touching her caused my cock to harden even more. I was a man after all, and seeing a little girl on girl turned me the fuck on.

Once she had properly felt my wife up, Tia moved to the end of the bed, placing Bella's feet together, and pushing her knees apart. Clearing my throat, I looked away, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Tia pulled out as long, metal instrument out. "What the fuck is that?" I spat, before clamping my lips shut.

Bella and Tia burst out laughing, while I wanted to wilt away. "It's called a speculum. It will help me open her up so I can exam her cervix, and collect some cells since it's been almost a year since she's had a pap smear done," explained Tia. I sat there, staring at her like an idiot. She was going to put that thing inside my Bella.

"Edward, breath," instructed Bella. I shifted my eyes down to hers. "Didn't you ever go through this with Sarah?"

"No," I muttered. "She said it would be too embarrassing."

"Do you want to wait outside?" offered Bella. I shook my head, determined to be here for her. "Okay, just don't watch."

Leaning my chin on the side of her bed, I kept my eyes locked on hers. A rosy taint filled her cheeks, and she gasped. A couple of grunts and groans later, Tia announced she was done and said everything looked good so far. Pulling her stool over to the other side of Bella's, bringing an ultrasound machine over with her. "What do you say we take a look?"

"Okay," we both murmured, having been waiting for this moment for two years, at least.

The machine hummed to life. Tia flipped the lights off before settling back down next to Bella, squirting some gel on her stomach. She squeaked again, and I laughed softly. She was so beautiful. Tia smiled as she pulled the wand off the top of the machine and placed it on Bella's stomach, moving it around. I held my breath, waiting for a glimpse of our little creation.

After taking a handful of measurements, Tia turned the screen toward us. "This is your baby."

"Oh, wow," whispered Bella, smiling through the tears running down her face.

Focusing on the tiny little blob wiggling around on the small screen, I brought my free hand up to my mouth, taking a deep breath. Our baby looked more like a little sea monkey than an actual baby, but he or she was absolutely beautiful. Flashing wildly in the middle of our little blob, was their heart. My lips trembled from behind my hand as the words tumbled out of my mouth, "The baby's okay, right?"

"Yes, the baby looks perfect," Tia assured me and Bella. "Based on the measurements, and the date of your last cycle, you're due around the sixteenth of April, give or take a week or two."

"So that makes me seven weeks?" wondered Bella, tightening her grip on my fingers.

"Yes," confirmed Tia, printing us off half a dozen pictures. Turning off the machine, she pushed it back against the wall and wiped the excess gel off her stomach. Taking her hand, Tia helped Bella sit back up. "Now, I want to see you every four weeks to start out with. I'm prescribing you some prenatal vitamins. Take them, I don't want any arguing on this, Bella."

"I won't." Bella sighed, Tia rolled her eyes. "I promise."

"Yeah, I know," she scoffed, handing Bella the order. "You also told me you would take them with Alex, and I remember Charlie telling me about how you refused to take them." Tia looked over at me. "Make sure she takes them."

"I will," I replied. Bella muttered under her breath about not being child, but Tia and I both ignored her.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few weeks, give me a call if you need anything, and," she paused, smiling, "congratulations."

"Thank you," murmured Bella, wiping her face free of tears.

Tia left and Bella hopped off the table, rushing back behind the curtain to change back into her jeans and t-shirt. When she was ready to leave, I slipped my hand in hers and walked her out to the front, stopping at the front desk to make her next appointment. While Bella spoke, I found myself completely captivated by her. She'd smile and laugh, I loved her more and more.

"Ready?" she coed, slipping her arm around my waist.

"Yes," I whispered, thickly.

Keeping our arms wrapped around each other, we headed for the elevator, taking to to the lobby, and strolling out to the car. Blushing a bright pink, she allowed me to open the car door for her, and slid into her seat. I ran around and climbed in, finding her staring at the ultrasound pictures. A single tear slipped down her face, which I reached over and brushed away.

"I didn't really believe I was pregnant until I saw him or her," she confessed, shifting her gaze over to me.

"Me either," I admitted.

"I love you, Edward," she whimpered, leaning across the seat and kissing me. "And how silly you are over Dr. Garrison examining me."

This time I blushed. "I don't know what you are talking about," I mumbled, started the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

She giggled, but dropped the subject. I drove across town toward the boys' school, keeping her hand wrapped firmly in mine. We'd agreed that we'd tell the boys about the baby if today's appointment went well. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being nervous as fuck about telling them. Sure, they'd made it clear over the last four plus years that they wanted a little sister, but there was no way to guarantee the baby would be a girl, or that they would really be okay with us expecting.

Parking the car in front of the school, we climbed out and headed over to where Rose, Angela, and Kate were waiting. Baby Jude was snuggled up in his carrier, a blanket wrapped snugly around him. A small smile crept up my face, soon that would be us with our baby. Bella leaned her head on my shoulder, wrapping a hand around my upper arm. She felt the same way.

"Are you all going to be at dinner tonight?" wondered Rose, turning to me and Bella. "Bella, are you okay?"  
Looking down, I noticed the silent tears traveling down her face. Turning, I pulled her against my chest. "She's fine," I assured Rose, or tried to at least. "And, yes, we'll be at dinner tonight."

"Okay," she replied, but didn't push for any further details. Finally, after four years of marriage, they'd learned to keep mostly out of our business, and not to push Bella when she was upset, or in this case so happy she was brought to tears.

The front doors opened and the kids came running out, yelling and screaming. The first day of school, both Bella and I about had a heart attack when we saw them all making a break for it without a single teacher making sure they go where they needed to be. Rose and Kate laughed at us and told us to get used to it, but, damn, these kids were everywhere and nobody seemed to care.

As they always seemed to be, Alex and Anthony were in the last group to come out, followed closely by Anna, Elliott, and Mattie. Seeing us standing by the others, they smiled, and quickened their pace. Stopping in front of us, their smiles dropped when they noticed the tears drying on Bella's face, but with a shake of my head, neither of them said anything.

"How about we go get some ice cream?" suggested Bella, sniffing back the last few tears as they fell.

"Sure," muttered Alex.

"Okay," agreed Anthony, sharing a look with his brother.

Bidding everyone goodbye, we headed back to the car, and down to our favorite ice cream parlor. The same one we went to the day I asked Bella out on our first date. With a squeeze of my hand, she silently confirmed that she knew. It was our spot, and once again, it would be the start of something larger than either of us.

The boys ordered their usual chocolate cones, and headed toward their favorite booth in the back, but I grabbed the scruff of their necks and informed them that they were sitting with us. One look back at their mom and they agreed. Bella picked peppermint, while I went with orange sherbet. Sliding into the booth across from the boys, we went through our usual routine of asking about their day, if they had homework, the same old crap we had to do everyday. But this time when we were all done, Bella reached out and took hold of their hands, taking a deep shaky breath.

"Mom?" questioned Alex, when Bella began to cry again. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she wept. "Everything's perfect."

"Then why are you crying?" he fretted, sliding his hand on top of hers. He still didn't like to see her upset.

"Because Dad and I have something to tell you and Anthony," she began. "Something you've been waiting a long time for."

"You're getting us a dog?" cheered Anthony, laughing. "What kind?"

"No, Anthony, we're not getting dog." I snorted at the look of pure disappointment on his face.

"New bikes?" he guessed. I rolled my eyes. "Just tell us already!"

"We're having a baby," whispered Bella, breathlessly.


	4. Chapter 4

BPOV

Bikes? Dogs? What the hell was that boy talking about?

Shaking my head, I whispered, "We're having a baby."

Scrunching his face up, Alex removed his hand from mine, turning to Anthony. "Does that mean we're not getting a dog?"

"Guess so," he replied, shrugging his shoulders and looking back at us. "Can we still get new bikes?"

My mouth fell open, all I could do was stare at them. After years of begging, pleading with us for a baby sister, that's all we got? Shifting my attention to Edward, I lifted an eyebrow, silently asking him what the fuck we were supposed to say now.

With a shake of his head, he placed both hands on the table and took a deep breath. "Do you understand what we're saying? Mom's pregnant, which means there is a baby growing inside her."

"Duh," chortled Anthony, leaning back and folding his arms in front of him. "But let's get back to the bikes."

"Anthony!" exclaimed Edward, throwing his hands up.

"What?" He laughed. "Gees, we're joking. Guess you've lost your sense of humor in your old age."

"Dude, shut up," muttered Alex, elbowing him. "We're not going to get new bikes if you insult the man."

"You're not getting new bikes anyway," replied Edward, smirking.

Right on cue, the boys turned to me, bottom lip curving down. With wide eyes, I turned away from them, knowing if I didn't, I'd give in and they'd end up with new bikes. That damn pout would always be my weakness and all the men in my life knew it, from Edward to the boys, to Carlisle and Charlie. Each one of them had used it against me on more than one occasion. Smiling wryly, I secretly hoped our baby would be a girl, knowing she'd have them all wrapped around her little finger. A little girl with Edward's auburn hair and brilliant green eyes, Alex's smile and Anthony's sense of humor.

"Momma," called Alex, reaching back across the table and grabbing my hand. "Momma, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" It wasn't until I looked back at him that I realized I'd been crying again. Wiping my tears away, I laughed, "Sweetheart, nothing's wrong." Seeing the worry still in his eyes, I slipped my hand from under his, only to place it on top. "I promise, I'm just really emotional right now. It's normal."

"Because of the baby?" he wondered, grinning.

"Yes," I smiled wider, "but mostly because I'm so happy right now."

"Oh," he muttered, not really understanding. "Is this one of those woman things Dad told us to just ignore?"

"Alex," hissed Edward, eyes flying open. Smirking, I turned toward him, one eyebrow lifted. "Baby, I can explain."

"Oh, I'm sure you can," I snarked, rolling my eyes. "If we're done, let's go home. I have to finish making the cake for dinner tonight, unless that's just another one of those woman things I do."

He sighed. "I'm in big trouble, aren't I?"

"Maybe," I giggled, pushing on his arm. "If you don't let me out of this booth right now, you will be. I've gotta pee."

"Eeeewww," whined Alex and Anthony.

Laughing, Edward slid out of the booth, and I scrambled for the bathroom, barely making it before I had an accident. Nothing quite like a full bladder and pregnancy hormones. By the time I finished, making sure to wash my hands good, Edward and the boys were standing next to the door. Slipping my hand into his, I followed them out to the car, and we headed home.

The minute we walked into the house, the boys kicked off their shoes, threw their backpacks on the couch, and took off down the hallway to their bedroom, like they've done everyday since school started. Neither Edward nor I knew what they were up to in there, but we both agreed to pick our battles. It's not like they were blowing anything up...yet, at least.

Picking up their bags, I tossed them into the coat closest, before heading into the kitchen, pulling off the lid to my cranberry Pyrex casserole dish. The chocolate and caramel cake wafted up, filling the room with the sweetest aroma. A smile slipped over my lips, my father loved this cake. Ever since I'd been in high school and first made it, it'd be the one thing he'd request me to make. Pulling the double chocolate icing out of the pantry, I grabbed a butter-knife and began spreading it over the top.

"So, am I in a lot of trouble?" Edward wrapped his arms around me, hands laying flat against my belly. "You know I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"I know you didn't," I murmured, turning in his arms and placing the tip of the chocolate-coated knife at his lips. "Taste."

Keeping his eyes locked onto mine, he snaked his tongue out, taking a long swipe. "Mmm, delicious," he moaned.

Leaning forward, Edward crushed his mouth to mine, thrusting his tongue deep into mine. The knife slipped from my fingers, hitting the ground hard. Weaving my hands into his hair, I pulled him closer, trying to feel all of him. Groaning, he slid his hands down my back, gripping my bottom tightly, and lifting me onto the counter. My legs wrapped around his hips, digging my heals into him. Tearing his lips from mine, he lowered his mouth to my neck, sucking on my exposed skin. Arching into him, I tightened my grip on his hair, pushing my center into him.

"Mom, do we have any...Oh God!" Snapping his head up, Edward and I found Anthony standing in the doorway of the kitchen with his hands covering his eyes. "My poor, innocent eyes!"

Laughing, I unhooked my legs from around Edward's waist, letting him help me off the counter. "What did you want, Anthony?"

"For you and Dad to stop sucking face all the time," he grumbled, "but I came in here wondering if we had any electrical tape."

"Why do you need electrical tape?" Edward asked while I picked up the knife off the floor and placed it in the sink.

"Um, you know, to hold...stuff together," he mumbled, averting his eyes to the floor.

"What kind of stuff?" Edward pressed, needing more information.

"Just...stuff." Anthony shrugged his shoulders, giving the pretense that whatever they were up to in their bedroom was nothing. I didn't buy it, but, moving over to the junk drawer, I dug through the mess, finding the black tape in the bottom.

Turning to my son, I sighed. "Is it dangerous?"

"No, ma'am," he replied, a little too quickly.

Raising my eyebrow, I folded my arms in front of my, hanging the tape on the tip of my right index finger. "Are you building a bomb?"

"No!" he scoffed. "Where would we learn to make a bomb?"

"I don't know, maybe the internet," I explained. "Dad and I can trust you and Alex not to do something that you both know is wrong, right, Anthony?"

A shadow of guilt crept over his face, but with a subtle shake of his head, it vanished. "Yes, Momma," he groused. "Can I have the tape now?"

"I suppose." I tossed him the tape, while snickering under my breath. Rolling his eyes, he turned, heading back down to his bedroom. Turning my eyes to my husband, I smiled. "Guess, I'd better get the cake finished. We need to leave soon."

"Yeah," he griped, running hand through his hair. "Think I'm gonna take a quick shower, cool off a little."

I smiled wickedly, placing a hand on his chest. "Don't use all the cold water, baby."

Moaning, he covered my hand with his, stopping me from letting my fingers drift south. "You're a fucking tease, love, and tonight, I plan on making you pay for your teasing."

"Is that a promise?" I smirked.

"Count on it," he growled, pressing his lips against mine again.

Before I could get into the kiss, he pulled away from me, leaving me standing in the middle of the kitchen all alone. I huffed, but turned back to the cake. My husband accused me of being a tease, yet he was the one who left me standing in the middle of the kitchen, needing more. Pulling out a new butter-knife, I finished icing the cake, placing the lid back on top, and placing it on the dining room table next to my purse.

After cleaning the kitchen, I headed down the hallway, stopping just outside of the boys' room. Through the door, I could hear them laughing, and talking about needing more screws. For a split second, I contemplated opening the door and finding out for myself what they were up to, but knowing in my heart that they were both good boys, I let my hand drop from the door knob. "Boys, we leave in ten minutes. Get cleaned up and brush your hair," I called through the door.

"Okay," they hollered back.

When I walked into mine and Edward's bedroom, I saw his clothes laying on the bed, the ones he'd just taken off. Shaking my head, I gathered them up, dropping them into the hamper that sat just three feet away. I'd never understand how hard it was for him, or the boys for that matter, to place their dirty laundry someplace other than on the floor, or the bed in this case.

Moving over to the dresser, I began removing my jewelry, but paused when I shifted my eyes down and found our ultrasound pictures from the afternoon. Picking them up, I moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge, and stared at them. I'd been so nervous going into our appointment this morning. Seeing our baby on the screen, knowing that he or she was healthy, brought tears to my eyes. Watching Edward allow his emotions to show, caused me to smile. I'd always thought he was an amazing father to our sons, and I knew that regardless if we added another son, or had a daughter, our children would be loved equally by him.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Looking up, I noticed him standing in the door to the bathroom, towel hanging loosely around his hips, water droplets dripping down his bare chest. "Baby?"

"What?" I murmured, releasing the breath I'd been holding.

Crossing the room, Edward knelt in front of me, reaching up to brush the tears off my face. "Why are you crying?"

"I-I don't know," I admitted, sniffling back the last few tears.

He smiled, sliding his hand up my cheek, pushing my hair behind my hair. "Feeling a little overwhelmed, aren't you?" he whispered. I nodded. "Do you want to stay home tonight? We can order pizza and watch a movie?"

"No, I'm fine," I insisted, bringing my hand up to his chest. Yes, I felt my nearly naked husband up. "Besides, I've made that cake and we both know Charlie would be on our doorstep within twenty minutes of us not showing up, demanding that I turn it over to him."

Hanging his head, Edward chuckled, "You're right." He looked up at me. "But if you want to stay home, I'll fight off the old man."

Shaking my head, I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Half an hour later, Edward parked behind Jasper's truck. The boys jumped out and ran into toward the house before Edward had even had a chance to shut off the engine. They were always so eager to go inside. Giggling to myself, I grabbed the cake from the backseat and slipped to the front of the car, grabbing Edward's hand as we made our way toward the house.

Walking into the house, we stopped dead in our tracks when we found everyone standing around the boys. Turning, they looked back at us, looks of shock and anticipation brewing. Rose, Alice, Esme, and Sue began squealing while Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle, and Charlie smirking, proudly. Before either of us could speak, Esme broke away from the others, rushing over to me.

"Oh, Bella," she gushed, throwing her arms around me. "I can't believe it!"

"Can't believe what?" I wondered.

Throwing her head back, Esme laughed. "The baby! I can't believe you and Edward are going to have a baby."

My mouth fell open when I snapped my attention over to the boys. "You told them?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Was it a secret?" fretted Alex, wringing his hands together.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed everyone's smiles dropped. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down, knowing the boys didn't mean any harm. "No, it wasn't a secret, but Dad and I wanted to be the ones to tell everyone."

"Oh." Anthony pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth, shifting his eyes guiltily to the ground. My heart broke, knowing they only told everyone because they were excited. "Sorry, Momma."

"Hey, guys, don't be sorry," chuckled Edward. "Just remember that next time we have something big to share, that Mom and I get to be the ones to tell everyone, okay?"

"Like with the next baby?" beamed Alex.

Everyone began to laugh. I shook my head. "Let's have this baby, before we even think about having another one," I quipped.

"That's okay," started Anthony, shrugging his shoulders. "You're going to have two babies this time, anyway."

The moment his words were out of his mouth, everyone turned their attention back to us, their smiles returning. "We are not having twins,"' announced Edward, putting his hand up. "There is only one baby, trust us."

"You'll see," muttered Anthony, huffing and turning back to Esme. "Nana, how much longer until dinner. I'm starving."

"Half an hour, sweet boy," she cooed, patting his face.

Nodding his head, he and Alex took off down the hallway toward the playroom, or the game room as he, Alex, and Elliott insisted it was called now. Only Little Ivy still referred to the room as her own personal playground. Feeling everyone's eyes on me, I blushed and grabbed the cake from Edward, shuffling into the kitchen with it. Placing it on the counter, I took a deep breath, trying to relax. Edward and I had wanted to make the announcement special, do something unique, I suppose.

"Is that for me?" asked Charlie.

Smiling, I turned to face my father, resting against the counter. Leaning against the door frame, he had a huge smirk resting on his face. "No, it's for Sue."

Rolling his eyes, he pushed off the frame and walked over to me, pulling the cake in front of him, and lifting the lid off. "Double chocolate?"

"Chocolate and caramel," I replied.

Nodding, he covered it, shifting his body toward me. The last few years had changed my father in a lot of ways, almost all of them were for the better. His dark hair had started to gray around the edges, thinning on top. He and Sue had married just over a year after Edward and I did. After years of holding onto the ideal that my mother would suddenly come home, and not be a raging bitch, he'd found happiness with Sue. Now with him having just retired from his job with the Forks Police Department, I worried less about him getting hurt. Just one more reason for me to smile.

"So," he began, "a baby, huh?"

"Yeah," I murmured, sliding my hand to my stomach. "You ready to become a grandpa again?"

"You bet your ass I am," he chuckled, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I smiled. "Are you excited?"

Nodding, I drew in a deep breath. "But I'm scared, too."

"Of what?" Charlie wondered, frowning.

"I don't even really know," I confessed, feeling foolish. "I remember how hard it was with Alex."

"Everything's different this time, though." He smirked. "You're old now." I elbowed him. "I meant, older," he groaned, rubbing his ribs. "You've got Edward this time, and that boy won't be going anywhere."

"I know," I mumbled. "Just feeling really overwhelmed."

"You always did worry too much," he grumbled, leaning over and kissing my cheek.

Edward stumbled into the kitchen, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. "Is it safe in here?" he chuckled, turning to me and my father. Seeing the tears swimming in my eyes, his amused look faded, replaced by one of concern. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I whimpered, unable to keep the tremor out of my voice. Charlie stepped out of the way, mumbling something about going to go see the boys, and left us alone.

Crossing the kitchen, Edward slipped one arm around my waist, and bringing his hand up to my cheek. "Why do I keep finding you in tears?"

"I don't know," I whispered, gripping the front of his shirt.

"What can I do to help?" he asked, pressing his forehead down onto mine.

"You're doing it now." I smiled, sliding my hand around to the back of his head, weaving my fingers into his hair.

Edward leaned in to kiss me, but a couple of little giggles stopped him. Feeling my cheeks turn red, we looked over to see Ivy and Esme standing in the doorway with their hand over their mouths. Smiling widely, I held my arms out toward Ivy, who squealed and ran to me. Wrapping her arms and legs around me, she buried her face into the side of my neck, just like she'd been doing since the moment I first held her.

"Aunt Bella, did Uncle Eddie make you cry?" Ivy frowned, reaching up and wiping my tears away.

"No, sweetheart," I tried to reassure her, ignoring Edward's grimace at being called Eddie. Ivy was the only person he allowed to refer to him that way. "Now, tell me how school has been going?"

Laying her head back on my shoulder, Ivy began babbling on about her first few weeks of preschool, talking about some little boy named Gavin, who liked to play with her on the slide, but never actually talked to her. Other than with me, Ivy was a shy little girl. With long, shiny black hair, and bright blue eyes, she quite the little beauty. Settling on the couch with her, I listened to every word she spoke, vaguely aware of everyone piddling around us.

"Dinner," hollered Esme, walking back into the living room, dishtowel laying over her shoulder. Turning to Ivy, she smiled. "Baby girl, will you please go get the boys?"

"Yes, Nana," sighed Ivy, climbing off of my lap and rushing down the hallway.

Standing up, I groaned, feeling the room spinning around me. Falling back on the couch, I took a deep breath. "Whoa."

"Baby, what's wrong?" While it was Edward who asked me, Emmett was the one who knelt in front of me, planting a hand on my forehead.

"She doesn't feel warm," he muttered, always assuming a fever to be the culprit.

"Get your hand off of me," I groused, pushing his hand away. "I just got a little light-headed."

"Are you sure?" Shoving Emmett out of the way, Edward took his place, brushing my hair out of my face.

"Yes," I mumbled, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sure I'm just hungry."

Nodding, he stood up, pulling me to my feet. "Okay, I'm sure you just need some cake."

"That cake is mine, little girl," quipped Charlie.

Laughing, I rolled my eyes. "Ha, you know the rules, old man," I teased. "You have to eat your veggies first."

Grumbling under his breath about it not being fair, Charlie followed all of us into the dining room. Settling into my usual seat between Carlisle and Edward, I reached for the mashed potatoes, only to have Edward swat my hand away and grab the bowl first. Before I could say anything, he scooped a hearty helping onto my plate. He proceeded to add food onto my plate, giving me more than twice the amount I'd normally eat. In the kitchen, we could hear the boys, Elliott, and Ivy laughing over something Elliott was telling them. While we couldn't hear everything, a few of his words, including fart, football, and monkey, drifted out to us. Sharing a look with Rose, she shook her head. "It's better you don't ask."

"Figured as much," I giggled, picking up my forks and scooping up some potatoes. The moment they hit my taste buds, I groaned. Esme made the best mashed potatoes, creamy and buttery.

"So, Edward, you knocked Bella up, eh?" barked Emmett.

Gasping and swallowing at the same time, I choked, covering my mouth with my hand to stop from spraying my food over everyone. "Damn it, Emmett," yelled Edward, patting me on the back.

"What?" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. Picking up my glass of ice tea, I managed to suck half of it down before I glared at him.

He opened his mouth, but I held my hand up, stopping him. "First of all, I'm pregnant, not knocked up," I snarled. "Second, you can't say stuff like that when I am taking a bite or drink."

"Sorry," he muttered, but I could see the smile playing on his lips. "Been puking everywhere?"

"Emmett!" scolded Esme, frowning, "we're trying to eat here."

"Oh, sorry," he grumbled, dropping his eyes to his place.

Making mindless conversation throughout dinner, I managed to eat half of what Edward put on my plate. Ivy came tottering in five minutes into dinner, climbing into my lap and drifting off to sleep with her head against my chest. Stroking her dark hair, I rocked her while I ate, even though Jasper tried to pull the girl out of my arms. Like she'd always done, Ivy whimpered at her father's attempt, nestling herself closer to me.

"She's fine," I insisted. "You eat, I've got her."

"You need the food more than I do," groused Jasper. Shaking my head, I smiled. Sighing, he put his fork down, turning his body to face me. Just like I knew he would, he stuck his bottom lip out, pouting.

"Jasper," I whined, looking away, "you're not playing fair!"

While everyone began snickering as he took advantage of my weakness, he reached out for her again. "No, Daddy," wailed Ivy, throwing her arms around my neck. "I want my Auntie Bella!"

He started to argue with her, when Alice reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "Give it up, Jas. You know she's not going to let go of Bella until she's ready."

Sighing, Jasper nodding in defeat, falling back in his chair. "Thank you, Bella."

"You're welcome," I murmured, kissing her forehead. Rocking her gently, I ate in silence, enjoying the feeling of her in my arms. Barely weighing more than thirty pounds, Ivy had always the most incredibly beautiful little girl. She had a huge heart, loving so freely. Smiling to myself, I brushed her hair out of her face. She had the Cullen spirit.

Ten minutes later, Alex, Anthony, and Elliott came rushing through the dining room, yelling about being full. Sharing a look with Rose, she nodded and went into the kitchen to check how much they actually ate. More than once, we'd found their plates full and had to deal with them being hungry the minute we got home. "They actually ate this time," announced Rose, sliding back into her chair. "Except for the peas. Not a one of them ate their peas."

"Because peas are nasty," Emmett retorted, shuddering. Shifting his eyes over to me, he smiled wickedly. "Can you imagine puking peas?"

"Emmett!" exclaimed everyone, putting their forks down on the table. However, I threw my head back, laughing so hard I woke Ivy up.

Rubbing her little eyes, she sat up and looked around. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Nothing, little one," muttered Esme, standing up and reaching for her. "Let's go see if those boys want some desert."

Shrugging her tiny shoulders, Ivy took Esme's hand and followed her out of the room. Still giggling to myself, I picked up my tea, taking another drink. "Is it time for cake yet?" Charlie's restlessness made me laugh again.

"Sure, Dad," I giggled. "Go for it."

"Oh, Bella, you shouldn't have told him that," teased Sue, watching her husband rush into the kitchen with Carlisle right on his heels. "He might eat the whole thing."

"He better not," I yelled, knowing full well that he'd hear me.

"I make no promises," he shouted back, causing everyone to laugh. Walking out of the kitchen with his fork already in his mouth, he moaned. "Bella, this is so good."

"Eww," I whined. "Dad, don't talk with food in your mouth."

"Oh, sorry," he laughed, but made no effort not to show everyone his food.  
Edward grabbed me a large piece of cake, choosing a smaller one for himself. Sighing inwardly, I scooped up a fork full, groaning the moment the sweet chocolate hit my taste buds. Around me, everyone laughed, but I didn't care. I'd been looking forward to this cake since I started making it early this morning. A smile slipped over my lips when I thought about everything that had happened today; seeing our baby squirming, knowing that he or she was okay, finally being able to tell the boys and our families. I shook my head, feeling my eyes fill up with tears.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Carlisle reached over, taking my hand in his, causing everyone to look over at me. Shaking my head again, I tried to tell him that nothing was wrong, but the words ended up coming out strangled. Sliding out of his chair, he knelt down next to me. "Bella, breathe."

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I lifted my eyes up to his. "I'm sorry, just really tired."

"Don't be sorry," he insisted, smiling. Shifting his eyes over to Edward, he added, "Why don't you let boys stay with us for the night. We'll drop them off at school in the morning, give you two a chance to sleep in."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, I'm fine," I fretted.

"I know we don't have to, sweetheart, but I'm going to insist," he replied. "Do I need to pout? Because I totally will."

"That's cheating," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. He smirked. "Fine, they can stay."

"Huh, that was easier than I expected," he chuckled, while I scowled. "Go home and rest. Enjoy the silence."

"Okay," I sighed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he kissed my cheek, "and congratulations."

Esme insisted on sending leftovers with us, so while she got everything ready, Edward and I headed down to the playroom and said goodnight to the boys, Elliott, and Ivy. Loading into the car, I rested my hand on Edward's thigh while he drove us home, enjoying the peaceful quiet.

When we got home, Edward put all the leftovers up while I locked up the house and headed into our bedroom, kicking my shoes off just inside the door. Reaching down to the hem of my t-shirt, I slipped it over my head, tossing it into the hamper, following a moment later with my jeans. Pulled the rubber band out of my hair, I tossed it onto the dresser, running my fingers through my dark tendrils.

"There you go, teasing me again," purred Edward. Smiling, I looked over my shoulder, finding him leaning against the door frame. "Are you still feeling lightheaded?"

"No," I murmured, removing my earrings and placing them on the dresser. "Maybe, it was just all the excitement."

"Could have been." With a click, Edward closed the door, moving over, and wrapping his arms around me, letting his palm cover my covered breast. I moaned, letting my head fall back onto his shoulder. "Are you tired?"

"No," I gasped, stifling a yawn. In truth, I was exhausted, but feeling his hands on my body spurred me on. Dropping his hand down my stomach, he cupped my center outside of my panties. "Baby, don't tease."

"Like you teased me before," he growled, a shiver rocketing through me.

"I didn't," I whimpered, feebly. Rolling my sensitive nipple between his fingers, I moaned. "Edward, please!"

Attaching his lips to my neck, Edward slid his hands to the sides of my panties, lowering them down my legs. They pooled at my feet so I stepped out of them, kicking them out of the way. Ridding me of my bra, he guided me over to he bed, laying me in the middle. Feeling exposed, I blushed, feeling his eyes traveling over me. Only Edward made me feel so vulnerable and beautiful.

Standing at the edge of the bed, he began to unbutton his shirt, letting it fall down his arms, and onto the floor. Reaching for his belt, he began to pull on it. Smiling, I pushed his hands away, removing his belt myself. Trailing my fingers along the top of his jeans, I tugged on the button and lowered his zipper. Letting them drop, Edward kicked them off. Shrugging off his boxers, he placed his hands on my shoulders, pushing me back onto the bed.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, moving so that he hovered over me. Ghosting his fingers along my skin, I moaned. "Oh, God, baby, when you moan like that," he groaned. Words failed me when he lowered his lips to my neck again, kissing and sucking on every inch he could find. Arching into him, I begged for more. Always needing more of him.

Nestling himself at my center, he gripped my thigh, pulling my leg up over his hip. Positioning himself at my entrance, Edward's mouth found mine, swallowing my cry when he thrust himself into me. My hands found purchase on his shoulders, nails digging into his flesh. Tearing his lips from mine, he buried his face into my neck. Pawing at my skin, his movements became harder and faster, yet we weren't rushing. Tightening my arms around him, I held his body closer to mine, silently begging him not to stop.

"Oh, God, baby," he growled against my fervid skin. "I'll never get enough of you."

"I...hope...not," I gasped, pushing my hips up to meet him.

Snaking his arm under me, he lifted my body off the bed, bringing his other hand to rest under my head, cradling me against him. I clung to him, desperately needing more. Always needing more. My toes curled as a wave of pure, arrant pleasure rocketed through me, sending me over the edge. Clamping my lips shut, I struggled not to scream. Edward's mouth found mine, swallowing my cries.

"Oh, fuck," grunted Edward, tearing his lips from mine. "Sweet, holy fuck."

Stilling his hips against my thighs, Edward found his release, shuddering against me. We stayed wrapped in each other, allowing our breathing to calm. Leaning his head back, he smiled. "Come on, let's shower and get to bed. It's been a long day."

Unable to find my voice, I nodded, allowing him to lead me into the bathroom. We showered together, letting our hands roam freely over the other, our eyes only leaving the other when absolutely necessary. Turning off the water, Edward wrapped a towel around me, before stepping out of the shower. He took my hand, making sure I didn't slip when climbing out. Drying off, we put on our pajamas and climbed into bed, snuggling close.

Resting his hand over my belly, Edward leaned down and kissed my shoulder. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," I whispered, feeling my tears beginning to build. Grabbing his arm and hugging it to my chest, I closed my eyes. "Don't leave me alone."

"Never," he promised, and I believed him.


	6. Chapter 6

EPOV

Stretching across the bed, I reached for Bella, finding only the cold sheets. Sitting up, I looked at the clocked, cringing when the glaring red numbers read half past five. Running my hand over my face, I threw the blankets off me and climbed out of bed. Slipping my boxers back on, I went in search of my wife.

After checking the bathroom to make sure she hadn't gotten sick, I stepped into the hallway. My eyes automatically searched out the boys' room. I reminded myself that they had stayed with my parents and turned toward Bella's office. The door was open, but I saw the wavering glow from her monitor, which provided the only illumination in the darkened room. Leaning against the door frame, I smiled. My Bella was perched over her computer, lost in the characters dancing inside her head.

"What are you doing up?" I moved behind her, pressing my lips to the top of her head.

"Couldn't sleep," she murmured with a sigh. "Figured I'd write."

I shifted my eyes to the monitor. "Your book for Caius?"

She tensed her shoulders, exhaling a sharp breath. "Yes."

"How's it coming?" I dropped to my knees next to her. "Are you regretting agreeing to write it?"

Bella shook her head, turning her chair toward me. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead against my shoulder, her hands finding my bare hips. My skin tingled from her touch. "In my heart, I know I'm doing the right thing, for a good cause, but I'm struggling with the idea of doing anything for that man."

"Baby, you know he didn't mean to betray you trust."

"Of course, I know that, but he did." Sighing, she lifted her eyes up to mine. "I trusted him with more than just my words, I gave him access to my very soul. You know how much of myself I poured into my book."

"I do." Moving my hand over her heart, I smiled. "But you have a big heart, baby, and I know you'll find the strength to forgive him."

"And if I don't?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You will, but if by some strange abnormality you don't, then I'll be here to tell you that it's okay."

"I don't deserve you," she muttered, stifling a yawn.

"Yeah, because it's you who's unworthy," I scoffed, standing up. Taking her hand, I pulled Bella to her feet. "Come back to bed."

"Okay," she breathed.

Giving her a moment to save her work and shut down her computer, I slipped my arm around her waist, leading the way back down to our bedroom. Pulling her back into bed, I nestled her against my chest, holding her cozily against my body. Pressing my lips to her shoulder, I drifted back to sleep.

When I awoke, I found myself alone in bed once again. Moving to the side of the bed, I noticed the clock read a quarter after nine. Stopping in the bathroom first, I washed my hands and brushed my teeth, before slipping on a pair of dark, charcoal gray sweatpants and a t-shirt. The aroma of dark blend Dunkin Donuts drew my attention to the kitchen. Bella knew it was my favorite coffee. I found her standing in front of the back door, fleece blanket wrapped around her shoulder. Moving up behind her, I placed my hands on her hips, nuzzling the side of her neck, earning me a breathless sigh.

"Morning," she murmured, turning in my arms. Resting her hand on my chest, she looked up at me, a dozen emotions flashing in her eyes.

Sliding a hand up, I brushed a tear off her cheek with the pad of my thumb. "Baby, why are you crying?"

"I don't know," she laughed, fear lacing each word. Leaning into my hand, her eyes fluttered to a close. "I was watching the birds in the back yard. You know how I love to watch them."

"I do."

"This tiny little Blue Jay hopped across the edge of the bird bath, trying to get closer. It was so adorable," she explained, laying her head on my chest. "Guess that sounds pretty crazy, doesn't it?"

"No," I lied, because honestly, it did, but I knew better than to admit that. Hormones made pregnant women a little off. "Have you been up long?"

"Just a few minutes." Bella blushed. "I, um, kind of forgot that the boys had stayed with your parents last night and thought we'd overslept."

I tried not to laugh. Seriously, I tried, but the sweet, innocent look in her eyes sent me over the edge. Burying my face in her dark hair, I allowed the rumbling laughter to slip between my lips.

"Edward!" she exclaimed, pushing me away.

"I'm sorry, baby, but you looked so ashamed," I snickered.

Rolling her eyes, she huffed and swatted me in the chest. "Gee, thanks."

Grumbling under her breath, Bella opened the refrigerator, grabbing the orange juice. I settled at the table, opening my laptop while she poured herself a tall glass and showing me mercy by bringing me a cup of coffee. She pretended to be offended, but the sparkle in her eyes and the small dimple around her lips gave her away. Sitting with her knees pulled up in front of her, she watched me, but every time I looked over at her, she'd turn to the back door. She was playing a very dangerous game.

Placing her feet on the floor, she leaned forward, drumming her nails on the table. I tried to focus on clearing my in-box, but like every time she was near me, my attention was on her. Trying to be discreet, but failing, Bella slowly slipped her hand across the table, tracing her fingers on the outside of my gold wedding band, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Clearing my throat, I shifted in my chair, feeling my cock twitch in my pants. That little minx knew just what that did to me.

"Bella," I gritted out, warning her.

"Yes, Edward?" she purred, her voice sending shivers throughout my entire body.

"Be careful what you start, love." I shifted my eyes up to hers, finding hers full of lust.

Smirking, she stood up, sliding her hand up my arm as she came around behind me. Leaning forward, her lips grazed the outside of my ear, my cock to jump at attention. "Sorry, lover," she breathed, "I'm going to go take a long, hot shower."

Before I could resound, she was out of the room. Standing up, I carefully closed my laptop and chased after her. When I caught up to her, she was laid out on our bed, wearing nothing but a pair of red, satin panties. I clenched my jaw tight, struggling not to turn into a fifteen year old boy again. Throwing my hand back, I slammed the door shut, ripping my shirt off and tossing it onto the floor.

"You dirty little tease," I growled, crawling onto the end of the bed and gripping her ankles. Yanking hard, I pulled her under me.

"Edward!' she squealed.

"You were mean," I murmured, nipping my lips along the side of her neck. "You know that I don't like it when you are mean."

"I'm sorry." She lied; we both knew she got off on teasing me.

I scoffed, sliding my hand up her leg, finding the edge of her panties. "You don't sound very sorry."

"No, really I am." She smirked, weaving her fingers in my hair. Tugging, she pulled my head back. I winced and moaned, my dick twitched wanting more. "Okay, so maybe I'm not, but you still love me."

"I do."

Crushing my lips to hers, I groaned when the phone rang. Perfect fucking timing. I tried to ignore the blaring ring, but it would not stop. Releasing my hair, Bella slipped from under me, wrapping the sheet around her half nude body. Cursing the invention of the telephone, I fell back on the bed, palming my erection through my pants. This had better been damned important.

Yanking the handset off the base on her nightstand, she took a deep breath. "Hello...this is Bella Cullen...oh no, is he okay...we'll be right there...five minutes top," she blurted, before slamming the phone on the table. Looking back at me, she had tears swimming in her eyes. "Anthony's hurt."

"What? What happened?" Scrambling out of bed, I began pulling drawers open in search for some clothes.

"All they would tell he was that he fell," she whispered. Stopping, I looked over at her, finding her still sitting on the edge of the bed, sheet wrapped tightly around her, and tears swimming in her eyes.

"Oh, baby," I murmured, crossing the room and dropping to my knees in front of her. Cupping her face in my hands, I leaned up, pressing my forehead against hers. "He's going to be okay. You know how tough that kid is."

"I know," she cried, covering my hands with hers. "But I knew, this morning I had a feeling and I knew!"

"Shh," I soothed. "Let's just get dressed and go see if he's okay."

Taking a shaky breath, Bella nodded, allowing me to help her to her feet. Five minutes later, we'd both dressed and were headed toward the school. Clutching desperately at my hand, Bella tried to take calm, even breaths, but I knew her better than that. She was freaking out, thinking the worst. I loved her, but sometimes, she let her fears get the best of her.

Parking in front of the school, I'd barely shifted the car into park when Bella threw open her door, forgetting that she had her seat belt on. "Motherfucker!" she spat, slamming her hand down on the little red, release button. "Let me go!"

"Baby, calm down." Grabbing her hands, I undid her belt, being careful that it didn't fly up and hit her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a sharp breath, trying to calm down. "Now, let's go."

Placing my hand on the small of her back, we burst into the school, bypassing the office and heading straight for the nurse's office. When we walked into the small room, we found him sitting on the bed, holding a bandage to his forehead. Shifting my eyes down, I noticed the red, sticky bloodstains on his shirt.

"What the hell happened?" Bella demanded, moving over to him. Covering the bandage with her hand, she pulled it back, exposing the two inch gash across his forehead. "Oh, my God!"

"Mom, it's nothing," grumbled Anthony, shifting his eyes away from hers. "It doesn't even hurt."

"Anthony, what happened?" I asked, taking the fresh tourniquet from the nurse and pressing it down on his wound.

Huffing, Anthony began telling his story. "Okay, we were out on the playground, right? Alex and I were on the swings, minding our own business when out of nowhere, someone came up behind me and pushed me out of the swing. I fell forward, but before I could stop, I hit one of the bars and,yeah, broke my head."

"Someone just pushed you?" I questioned, giving a look. Rolling his eyes, he bit his lip, a sure sign that there was more to the story than he was telling. "Anthony?"

"Well, we might have been playing this game with Elliott," he mumbled.

"What type of game?" At the sound of Bella's voice, he looked up at her, eyes flying open. The mixture of worry and suspicion made it clear that he'd better start fessing up.

"A jumping contest," he muttered under his breath.

"Anthony!" Bella exclaimed.

"Look, Mom, I know it was stupid. Please don't be mad at me," he pleaded, sticking his lip out. I almost rolled my eyes at him, but then saw Bella's eyes soften. She'd always been such a sucker for that look.

"We'll talk about it later, but now, I think we'd better take you to the hospital. I'm pretty sure you're going to need stitches."

"Cool," Anthony laughed, letting her help him off the bed. "Will I have a scar like Harry Potter?"

"We can only hope," scoffed Bella, shaking her head.

Thanking the nurse for everything, we headed out to the car. Bella rode in the backseat with Anthony, holding the bandage against his head. He grumbled under his breath about not being a baby, but in the rear view mirror, I saw him scoot closer to his mom. Big kid or not, he still needed his mom when things got hard. He always would, too.

On the way to the Children's Hospital, I called my dad, letting him know that we were bringing Anthony in. Knowing him the way I did, I knew he had to stifle his own chuckle when I explained what happened. Of course, it might have been Anthony yelling about the distance he got before he smacked his head. Bella didn't find it nearly as funny as we did.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of the emergency room, where we found Carlisle waiting for us. He started to smile until he noticed the scowl on Bella's face. Trying to match her disappointed look, he shook his head, placing his hand on Anthony's shoulder. "What were you thinking, young man?"

"Wasn't really thinking at all." Anthony shrugged his shoulders. "At least until I hit the bar, then all I could think of was how much it hurt and how pissed mom was going to be because I got blood on my shirt."

"Language, Anthony," hissed Bella. "And your shirt is the last of my concerns. You're lucky you only busted your head open, you really could have hurt yourself."

"I know, Mom." Looking at the ground, he frowned. "I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. "Yeah, yeah, let's just get you fixed. I don't much like seeing the hole in your head. Your brain might fall out."

"Not like I really need it anyway," he snickered.

Carlisle, struggling to keep his laughter at bay, threw his head back. "Oh, my boy, you've been spending too much time around your Uncle Emmett."

Under Bella's heated glare, my father ushered us into the hospital and straight into an examination room. Pealing back the bloody tourniquet, Carlisle whistled through his teeth, but didn't comment on the wound at all. Perhaps, he caught sight of the grimace on Bella's face and knew it'd be better to keep his opinions to himself. He cleaned the wound, making sure he didn't have a concussion, before he pulled out a suture kit and began closing the wound.

"I'll be outside," muttered Bella, covering her mouth and throwing the door to his room open.

Looking over at me as the door closed, Carlisle lifted an eyebrow. "Weak stomach?"

"No," I sighed, heading after her. "Problems seeing her son hurt knowing that she can't make it better."

When I stepped out into the hall, Bella had her back to the door, one hand covering her mouth and the other across her chest. Wrapping my arms around her, I turned her to face me, nestling her against me. Gripping the front of my t-shirt, she held on as her tears rocked through her body. Instead of saying anything, I did the only thing I could, I let her cry. My words weren't going to help right now; she just hated to see her children hurt.

"Momma," whispered Anthony. Lifting her head off my chest, Bella looked over at him. He and Carlisle were standing in the doorway of his room, both looking somber. "I'm sorry, Momma."

With a subtle shake of her head, Bella walked over to him, cupping his face in her soft hands. "You did nothing wrong, Anthony. You're a kid, who will do stupid things all the time. Just try not to break yourself, okay? I'm kind of partial to you being in one whole piece."

"Yeah, now that I think about it, it wasn't the brightest idea," muttered Anthony.

"Gee, ya think?" I snorted, joining them. "Dude, seriously?"

"Elliott dared me," whined Anthony. "You know I cannot refuse a dare."

"Yeah, well, learn to," ordered Bella.

"Yes, Ma'am," grumbled Anthony.

Looking up at Carlisle, Bella reached around Anthony, taking his hand. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he said, squeezing her hand. "You have a pretty tough kid there, Bella."

"Yeah, I know."

"Okay, no showers for the next few days, keep the wound cleaned and dry. Give him something for the pain, Tylenol or Ibuprofen, but watch him for the next handful of hours. I don't believe he has a concussion, but with a head as hard as his, you can't be too careful."

"Papa!" Anthony exclaimed, throwing his arms up.

"Sorry, kiddo." Carlisle shrugged his shoulders. "Try not to get broken again, your mom won't let you stay over anymore if you do."

Handing me some extra bandages, he left us standing alone in the hallway. Bringing her hand up to the top of his head, Bella sighed. "Let's get you home."

"Can we stop and get McDonald's for lunch?"

"No," I scoffed. "Just because you're broken, doesn't mean you get to have a Bic Mac."

"Please," begged Anthony, turning his pout on Bella.

I slipped my hand over his mouth. "Don't even think about it, dude. You can have a sandwich at home. Be glad you get to eat anything."

"Fine," came his muffled reply. "But it's not fair."

"Yeah, well, life's not fair," giggled Bella.

Twenty minutes later and several ignored mutters from Anthony, we were back home. After a quick sandwich and handful of forced carrots, he mumbled something under his breath about being in his room and not to come in without knocking. Sharing a look with Bella, I resisted the urge to ask what he and Alex had been up to for the last couple of weeks, hoping that my trust in my sons would not be mislaid.

Bella spent the afternoon going between her office and knocking on Anthony's door, asking him if was okay. While I know he was getting annoyed with her, he told her over and over that he was fine. Yeah, just fine with the exception of the handful of stitches in his head. Of course, I didn't say that to him. Bella had already made him feel guilty for getting hurt.

I messed around on my laptop, dumping a few shots I knew were crap, but mostly, I fielded phone calls from everyone. I do mean everyone.

First, Esme called and insisted that she come over to help. It took me telling her that we had everything under control at least ten times before she reluctantly agreed to stay home. Next, Emmett called, saying he wanted to congratulate Anthony on causing everyone to worry about him. Laughing under my breath, I promised to pass on the message, just had to make sure that Bella wasn't anywhere close. She would not find nearly as funny as I did. After Emmett called, I talked to Alice, Jasper, Kate, Angela, and finally Rose. All of whom offered to go pick Alex up at school for us. While I appreciated the offers, I felt I needed to be the one to pick him up.

So just after three, I climbed into the car and headed down to the school, parking behind Rose. She smiled while I joined her, Angela, and Kate outside of the double doors. It was almost an odd moment of deja vu back to when the boys first started school and I'd find myself waiting for Anthony to get out, only this time, I was waiting on Alex.

Once the bell rang, I stood back while the hoard of children came rushing out. As always, Alex, Elliott, Anna, and Mattie were the last ones out of the building. It was odd to see them coming out with Anthony with them. Shifting his eyes up off the ground, Alex tensed, pulling away from the others and running up to me.

"Where's Anthony?" he fretted. "Is he okay? Is Mom with him?"

"Calm down, Alex," I replied, placing my hand on his shoulder. "He's at home with Mom. He had to get five stitches, but he's fine."

Alex exhaled, the tension fading from his shoulders. "Thank God. There was so much blood."

"Yeah, head wounds tend to bleed a lot."

Elliott cleared his throat, stepping up beside the two of us. Only a little over a year older than the boys, he towered over both of them. Broader in the shoulders, he'd inherited his physique from Emmett. "Uncle Edward, I'm really sorry that I dared Anthony to jump from the swing. I didn't think he'd get hurt."

"It's okay, Elliott, let's just call this a lesson learned," I told him.

"Yeah, okay, but he did get good air before the bar got in the way," muttered Elliott.

"So I heard," I laughed.

"Elliott, we're going to be having a long talk tonight," groused Rose, grabbing him by the collar.

"But, Mom," he whined. "Dad told me it was fun!"

Shaking her head, she started dragging him toward her car. "What have I told you about listening to your father?"

Trying my hardest to stifle my laughter, Alex and I headed over to the car. Emmett would be in almost as much trouble as Elliott. Part of me felt sorry for him, but the other part, the one that spent the first eighteen years of my life at his mercy, felt he kind of deserved whatever he got. Starting the car, I shifted into drive and headed back home. I'd barely parked in the driveway when Alex was out of the car and inside the house.

Following him in, I found Bella standing in the living room with her mouth wide open. "He didn't even stop and say hi. Just tossed his backpack on the floor and rushed off to his room." Frowning, she turned back to me. "He doesn't need me anymore."

Slipping one hand around her waist, and the other up to her cheek, I leaned in and brushed my lips across hers. "Good thing, we're having a new one. We've got a good ten years out this one."

Giggling, she wrapped her arms around my neck. "And just think, we have two almost ready-made babysitters, too."

"I like the way you think, baby."

Sliding her fingers into my hair, she kissed me again. "Later tonight, you'll love the way I think, lover."

Pulling out of my embrace, she laughed at my shocked expression, heading down to her office. My sexy, little minx.


	7. Chapter 7

BPOV

These boys were going to be the death of me.

Charlie and Carlisle tried to hide it, but they both thought the gaping hole in my son's head was the coolest thing ever. Emmett hadn't been around since it'd come out that he'd been the one to encourage Elliott to jump off the swings, and it just unraveled from there. Rumor had it that Rose had laid into him pretty hard about being a better role model for the kids. I didn't really blame Emmett. I'd learned a long time ago to ignore half the crap that came out of his mouth, but my children, and Elliott, hadn't learned that lesson. At least not until now.

"Baby, I'm off. Are you sure you don't want me to take the boys with me?" Edward asked, walking back into our bedroom. He'd been up for two hours, trying to get everything ready for one of the biggest photo shoots of his career.

"You're not going to be able to work with the boys running circles around you all day," I replied, grabbing a tissue off my nightstand and sneezing. "Besides, it's not the first time I've been left home alone with them."

"But you're sick," he huffed, sitting on the bed next to me. "I should just cancel."

"No, you shouldn't." I climbed up behind him, wrapping my legs around his waist and laying my head on his back. "We'll be fine."

"Then why are you clinging onto me?" Edward laughed, covering my arms with his. "You have a fever. I'm calling Sam and telling him that I can't work today."

"No, you're not. I'm fine, and I'm clinging on to you because I love you."

"I can call Esme. She'd come over and help," he offered.

"She does too much already," I grumbled, falling back on the bed. Bringing my hand up to my mouth, I yawned. "Besides, the boys are old enough to pretty much take care of themselves, right?"

"In theory," he sighed, slipping of my legs and standing up. Turning to face me, he frowned. "Okay, I'm leaving, but if you need me, I'll be here in like ten minutes. Promise me you will call."

"Edward, I'm a big girl," I groused.

"Bella, promise me," he ordered, grabbing my foot and threatening to tickle me. Bastard knew how sensitive my feet were.

"Baby, don't," I begged, trying to get away from him. However, his grip on my foot was too strong.

"Promise me that you'll call if you need me, Bella," he repeated, dragging his finger across the tender part of my foot.

"Edward," I laughed, wiggling on the bed. He kept tickling me, refusing to stop. "Fuck, I promise to call!"

Smirking, he dropped my foot onto the bed. "Thought you'd see it my way."

"You cheated," I muttered, hiding my feet under the blankets. You know, just in case he decided to attack me again. Edward had this little obsession with tickling my feet.

"I did, didn't I?" he said, smugly. Leaving over, he kissed my cheek. "I love you."

"Yeah, yeah, love you, too."

Event though he was reluctant, Edward left for his job. The opportunity to shoot one of the most historic buildings in Seattle was too good to let slide just because I had a little cold. Besides, with the boys out of school for a teacher-work day, I wasn't going to need to go out, and they were pretty self-reliant. They'd been spending every minute they could locked away inside their room. I chose not to dwell on what they were up to. The headaches weren't worth it.

I lounged in bed for another hour, before I heard the boys stirring in their room. Throwing the blankets off of me, I grabbed a handful of tissues off the nightstand and climbed out of bed. Edward had an old sweatshirt laying on the back of a chair. Grabbing it, I slipped it on, relishing in his scent. Coughing, I stumbled down the hallway to the kitchen, where I found them sitting around the table with two bowls, a box of Captain Crunch, and the gallon of milk. For a moment I considered offering to make them some pancakes or waffles, but when I sneezed again, I decided not to. It's not like having cereal would kill them, right?

"Wow, Mom, you look horrible," Anthony boasted as I reached for the coffee pot.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, pouring myself a cup before I realized what I was doing. Pouring it out, I slammed the coffee mug onto the corner. "Damn it!"

"What's wrong?" Alex jumped to his feet, rushing over to my side.

I took a deep breath, which wasn't easy to do seeing as my nose was congested. "Nothing. I just really want some coffee."

"So, why did you just pour your cup out?" he asked, scrunching his face up just like Edward does when he doesn't understand what I'm talking about.

"Because I'm pregnant," I explained, struggling the keep the smart-ass tone out of my voice. He was only ten and didn't know that coffee wasn't the best drink of choice when pregnant. "I guess I'll just have some juice."

"Here, I'll get you some," he muttered, grabbing the handle to the fridge before I could. "Want me to make you some toast?"

I groaned, swallowing against the lump in my throat.

"Or maybe not," he grumbled, placing the carton of orange juice on the counter.

Reaching into the cabinet, he pulled out one of our cranberry juice glasses. My heart broke. Alex wasn't supposed to be tall enough to reach into the cupboard and get a glass. He's supposed to need me to get it for him. When did my boys get to be so big?

Pouring the juice into the glass, he slid it over to me. "Need anything else?"

"No, sweetie," I murmured, picking up the glass and taking a small sip.

Alex went back over to the table and started eating his breakfast. My head was pounding and my body shivered from the fever scorching my skin. Covering my mouth, I coughed several times, turning toward the sink when, what felt like my lung, slid up my throat. Behind me, I could hear the boys whispering, surely conspiring about whatever was going on inside their room. Running my hand through my hair, I turned back to them, sniffing back the snot filling my nose. Mom's weren't supposed to get sick.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing," they chirped, leaning away from each other. The look they shared didn't go unnoticed.

I narrowed my eyes at them. "I don't believe you."

"Really, Mom, it's nothing," Anthony laughed, nervously tapping his fingers on the table. "You should go to bed. You look like cr...not very good."

"Gee, thanks, Anthony," I groused, going over and sitting at the table. His eyes shifted over to his brothers once again. "Look, I don't know what you two are doing in there, and as long as it isn't dangerous or illegal, I don't really care, but I need you to promise that you aren't going to blow up the house. Dad and I haven't finished paying it off and the housing market is really unstable right now, so if we have to move, it's probably going to be in with Grandpa, and that wouldn't be good for any of us."

"Why not?" Alex laughed.

"Because Grandpa is a serial killer." The boys threw their heads back, rambunctious laughter rolling out of their mouths. "You laugh, but I know these things."

"Mom, you're goofy," snickered Alex. "Grandpa's harmless."

I leaned across the table. "Tell that to the fish he murders."

That was all it took to cause them to nearly fall on the floor laughing. Scrambling to their feet, they grabbed their cereal and took off toward their bedroom. Propping my feet on the empty chair next to me, I decided not to make them bring their bowls back in here. Some battles weren't worth fighting. I'd learned that lesson a long time ago.

Once I finished my juice, I dragged myself away from the table, putting the milk up first. Wiping my nose again, I padded down the hallway, stopping outside the boys' room, and into my office. I didn't really feel like working, but I didn't want to go back to bed, either. To be honest, I wanted to be in Edward's arms, but he had to work today, and so did I.

Opening my laptop, I rebooted it and settled in my chair, draping a blanket over my lap. Leaning my forehead against the palm of my hand, I shivered against the blazing heat. I should take something, but I didn't want to risk taking any kind of medicine that could be harmful to the baby. I'd barely started my eighth week. Though, between Anthony getting hurt, my busy schedule, and Edward's new project, it felt like I should be twenty weeks instead. While a part of me wanted this pregnancy to move faster, the other part of me wanted to enjoy every moment. I wasn't alone this time. I had Edward and the boys; together, we'd welcome our new edition to the family.

I checked my email, getting a nice giggle out of one that Tanya sent me about two dogs standing in front of a glass door while a cat sits on the other side. In a bubble, it looked like the cat was asking, "Who's the pussy now?" Forwarding it to Edward's email first, I discarded it into my trash bin. Pulling open my doc for chapter five, I started rereading what I'd written for the book I was donating to Caius' cause.

Healing Through Love was the story of a young girl diagnosed with leukemia. When her family moves across the country in a last ditch effort to find a doctor aggressive enough to save her life, she finds not only the love of her life, but true friends, who help her every step of the way. Several times while writing this story, I'd found myself overwhelmed with the emotions that poured out of me.

I'd just placed my fingertips on the keys to start typing when the phone rang. With a heavy sigh, I reached over and lifted it off the base, unsurprised that Esme was calling. I knew Edward would call her. He worried too much.

Hitting the green talk button, I greeted her, "Hello, Esme."

"Bella, what are you doing answering the phone?" she started, but before I could get a word in, she continued speaking, "You're supposed to be in bed. Where are the boys? Are they okay? Edward said you'd be okay, but maybe I should come over. Bella? Bella? Are you there?"

"Yes, Esme, I'm here," I replied, smiling. "I'm fine. The boys are in their room, doing God knows what, and I'm writing. I promise that everything is fine."

"Edward said you had a fever." Her motherly tone cut through me. Damn Edward for being honest with her.

"I do, but it's not very high," I muttered.

"How high is not very high?" she asked.

"Um," I started.

"You haven't taken your temperature yet, have you?"

I sighed. "No."

"Isabella Marie Cullen," she snapped, throwing out the middle name like a good mother could. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but she spoke first. "Go get the thermometer

"Esme, really, I'm-"

"Isabella, I'm not asking." Her voice was eerily calm. "Now, stand up and go get the thermometer, or I will be forced to call your father."

"You wouldn't," I gasped.

"Oh, I would," she laughed, and not in that sweet way she normally would. No, this laugh was evil.

"Fine," I whined, standing up. "You know, Esme, I'm a big girl."

"Of course you are, sweetheart," she said, patronizing me. "Now, move it."

I huffed as I walked out of my office and into my bedroom, cutting through to the bathroom. Digging around in the medicine cabinet, I grabbed our ear thermometer, and adding a disposable cover on the tip. Sticking it in my ear, I hit the button on the outside, waiting for the beep that would tell me when it's ready. Three seconds later the beep came. Pulling it out of my ear, I cringed when I saw 103.4 flashing at me.

"Well, what is it?" she demanded.

"100.9," I lied.

"Bella, let me talk to Alex."

"Esme," I began.

"Please," she retorted, politely. Damn her and her sweet voice.

"Fine," I muttered, walking out of the bathroom, through my bedroom, and down the hallway to the boys' room. Knocking on the door, I said, "Alex, Nana wants to speak to you."

There was a bunch of muffled speaking coming from inside the room just moments before Alex cracked the door open, and slipped out. Huffing, I handed him the phone.

"Hey, Nana." He shifted his eyes up to mine. "Yes...really red cheeks...in her hand...hang on," he muttered. Cradling the phone against his chest, he reached out and tugged the thermometer out of my hand. I started to protest, but he lifted the phone up to his ear. "Okay, I've got it...the little gray button? Got it...103.4." I flinched. Damn her for bringing the boy into this. Alex's lips curved up into a smirk before he held the phone out to me. "You're in big trouble."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, snatching the phone out of his hand and walking back toward my bedroom. "Esme-"

"I'll be there in ten minutes. You'd better be in bed."

Before I could reply, she hung up. Gasping, I stared at the phone. I should be surprised that she'd do this, but this was Esme. She'd never pretended to anything but a loving mom, willing to do whatever she could to make sure her family was happy and healthy. I always felt honored that she included me in her family. Sighing, I grabbed my laptop out of my office, and went into my bedroom. There wasn't any reason why I couldn't work and rest at the same time, was there?

True to her word, ten minutes later, I heard her come barreling into the house, using the extra key Edward and I had given her and Carlisle. A moment later, she appeared in the doorway to our bedroom. Her auburn hair was longer than it was when I first met her. Her eyes still sparkled. I often envied her way of living life to the fullest.

"What are you doing?" she huffed, crossing the room and pulling the laptop from my fingers.

"I was working," I muttered, "but I guess I'm not now."

"You're sick. You shouldn't be worrying about work right now."

"I have a deadline." It was true, I did have one, but not for another six weeks.

Rolling her eyes, she walked into the bathroom. A moment later she came back in with a wet washcloth. Sitting on the side of my bed, she brought her hand up to my forehead. "You're burning up. Have you taken anything?"

"No," I whispered, averting her eyes.

"I don't blame you," she said. I looked back up at her. "I probably wouldn't, either, but if we can't get this fever down, we're going to have to call your doctor and see what she wants us to do."

"Us?" I smiled. "You and me, huh?"

"Yep," she giggled, placing the washcloth across my forehead. I brought my hand up to my mouth as a new fit of couching rocketed through me. "That does not sound good."

"I'm fine," I murmured, nestling into the blankets. "It's Edward you should feel sorry for. He's been kept awake by my barking."

"Edward's a big boy, Bella, he'd fine," she scoffed, crossing her legs. "He's worried about you."

"I know he is, but I'm—"

"Fine, yes, I know," she interrupted me.

"Because I am fine. It's just a little cold," I muttered.

"Of course it is." Esme reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. "But all he sees is that his wife is sick and pregnant. It might be a little too close for comfort."

That's when it hit me. Edward's overprotective behavior was because he was scared. He'd faced a sick wife with Sarah, and even though I really did just have a cold, it brought out a lot of his old fears of being left alone again. I'd been so lost in dealing with my own insecurities that I hadn't thought about how hard all of this had to be for him. Blinking back my tears, I tried not to cry.

"How could I need see it?" I whimpered, rolling onto my side. "I'm a horrible wife."

"Nonsense," she said. "You're a wonderful wife, who is just a little overwhelmed with everything she's feeling."

"A little?" I snorted.

"Okay, a lot," she laughed, standing up. "I'm going to go make you some tea. No getting on your laptop."

"Yes, ma'am," I snickered, earning me a teasing glare.

Esme came back a few minutes later with a cup of tea, a package of cherry cough drops, and a new box of tissues. Grabbing my laptop, she shut the door to my bedroom behind her, ordering me to rest while she took care of the boys. Sometime between when I took my first sip of tea and opening the new box of tissues, I drifted off to sleep.

I'm not sure how long I'd been asleep when I was startled awake by someone pressing on the doorbell. After they rang the bell for the third time, I threw the blankets off. There was a note on the nightstand saying that Esme had taken the boys to grocery store and that they'd be back soon. Scrambling out of my bedroom, I placed my hand on the wall, trying to keep myself from falling my sleepy hazy. My head was throbbing. The person on the other side of the door rang the bell again.

"I'm coming," I yelled, sliding to a stop in front of the dark, mahogany door. Unlocking the deadbolt, I pulled it open, feeling all the air get sucked out of my lungs. "How the hell did you find me?"


	8. Chapter 8

EPOV

I overreacted—I knew this—but leaving Bella when she needed me the most had been one of the hardest moments of my life. This certainly wasn't the first time she'd ever been sick in the five years that we'd been married. We've been through colds, stomach flus, migraines, not to mention her period, but this time everything had changed. Bella was pregnant, and while I knew that she just had a cold, I couldn't help worrying about her. She and our children were everything to me. I couldn't lose her, not now, not ever. My heart wouldn't survive another loss.

Running my hand through my hair, I struggled to stop myself from pulling out my cell phone and making sure I hadn't missed a call—for the tenth time. Esme had been all too willing to go over and take care of her. Of course, I already knew my mother loved Bella like she was her own flesh and blood. Esme saw Bella and Alex as the answer to some unspoken prayer. So did I.

Unable to stop myself, I dug the cursed phone from my back pocket, glowering at the blank screen. "Get it together, Cullen, you're fucking lose it."

"Dude, are you talking to yourself?" Sam threw his head back and laughed. I tried to ignore him. "That's priceless. I thought only loons did shit like that."

"Guess that makes me a loon then," I snarked, glaring at him. He sobered up immediately, and I felt like an ass. It wasn't his fault that I was in a bad mood. "Sorry."

Shaking my head, I started to walk away from him, but he reached out, grabbing my arm. "What's going on?"

I sighed. "Bella's sick." Sam just stood there staring at me. "I'm worried about her."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She has a cold." The moment the words tumbled out, the corners of his mouth started to lift. "Don't say it."

"Don't say what?" he snickered. "Dude, it's just a cold."

"Yeah," I agreed, "but the last time my pregnant wife was told it was just something simple, she ended up dying and left me alone to raise our son."

His smile dropped again. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't think…"

I held my hand up, stopping him in midsentence. "It's fine. Logically, I know that Bella just has a cold, but I worry about her."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?" he groused. I shifted my attention to him. "Edward, your wife needs you and you're standing here acting like you can't go home."

"She made me come," I grumbled.

"And I am making you go home," he scoffed, tearing the camera out of my hands. I resisted the urge to hit him, but you don't touch my camera. Ever. "Look, this building isn't going anywhere. We can meet next week, but for your sake, go home to your wife."

Shaking my head, I smiled. "Thanks, Sam."

"Give Bella a hug for me and make sure she knows that I forced you to go back. I don't want her kicking your ass or anything."

I snorted. "No shit."

A feeling of relief washed over me as I packed up my equipment and ran back to my car. I needed to be with my wife, to be the one sponging her forehead with a cool rag and making sure she stay hydrated. To some men, it might seem like a sign of being whipped, but I took my responsibilities as a husband seriously and I'd never jeopardize what I had now, not again. Dropping my bag in the trunk of my car, I climbed in behind the wheel and headed home.

When I pulled up in the driveway, I was surprised by two things: first, my mother's car wasn't here, and two, there was an old, beat up Toyota Camry sitting in front of our house with Arizona plates. Climbing out from behind the wheel, I grabbed my equipment bag from the trunk and headed up to the front door. My heart leapt in my chest when I found it wide open. Bella never kept the door open—ever.

"I told you to get the hell out of here," Bella yelled, her voice traveling through from the kitchen. "Do not fucking touch me!"

Dropping my bag by the open door, I ran into the kitchen. My fists were clenched tightly. A million pictures rushed through my head to who could be in there with her. Bile rose in my throat and I barely managed to keep it from spilling out of my mouth. Sliding to a stop, I found Bella standing on the far side of the table with the phone in her hand and an angry glare directed to the woman opposite of her. The woman, who I'd never met before, looked over her shoulder at me, a sickening grin spreading over her lips. Even though we'd never been introduced, I knew exactly who she was.

"Bella, come here," I said, holding my hand out to my wife. Skirting around the table, she placed her hand in mine and let me pull her behind me. "Have you called Charlie?"

"Yep," she muttered, gripping the back of my shirt. "She just barged in. I've told her at least ten times to get out."

The woman smiled. "Isabella…"

"Don't talk to me," Bella spat. "I told you to leave."

"That is no way to treat your mother."

"Yeah, but you can't really call yourself her mother, can you, Renee?" Bella and I spun around, finding Charlie standing behind us with nothing, but pure hatred etched on his face. "I believe _my daughter_ told you to leave. Do I need to help you find your ass? Because, honey, I'm more than willing to throw you out on it."

"Well, well, well, Charlie, don't you look handsome," Renee purred, stepping toward him.

Though she stood a good five feet away, I could smell the liquor oozing off of her. She looked like a tramp; her naturally dark hair had been bleached some time ago and she had caked on her makeup, probably in an effort to hide her age. Turning, I wrapped my arms around Bella. Her skin was on fire from the fever that ravaged her body. She should be in bed, not standing here dealing with the woman who abandoned her when she needed her the most.

"Save it, Renee," Charlie barked, moving so that he stood between us and her. It was the first time since I'd met the man that I've ever seen him so angry. Not that I blamed him. It had taken him nearly a lifetime, but he'd finally been able to move on from her hold over him. "Bella told you to leave. For once in your life, put her before yourself and get the hell out of here."

"Grandpa?" I closed my eyes for a split second before looking behind us. Alex, Anthony, and Esme stood in the doorway to the kitchen, their eyes flittering between us. Alex turned his attention to Bella, his lips curving into a frown. "Momma, what's wrong?"

"Is this Alex?" Renee slurred, stepping toward our children.

"Don't even think about going near him," Bella yelled. She pulled out of my arms and barricaded herself in front of our children. "This is the last time I am telling you, get the fuck out of my house."

Ignoring the gasps trickling out of our sons' mouths from her use of the f-word, Bella kept her arms around them and led them down the hallway. A moment later, I heard the door to our bedroom shut. My wife was hellcat who'd rip this bitch apart if she dared come near our children and I fucking loved her for it.

"You heard her," Charlie growled, crossing the room and grabbing Renee by the arm.

"Charlie, just hear me out," she pleaded. However, he ignored her and continued to drag her through the house to where the front door still sat wide open. With a hard shove, he pushed her out. She stumbled down the front steps, almost falling into the grass. "You can't just get rid of me. You love me."

He released a harsh, bitter laugh. "Not anymore, you crazy bitch. Don't come back, Renee. You made your bed, now go fuck yourself in it."

With her mouth gaping open, Charlie stepped back inside our house and slammed the door shut, going the extra step to lock the deadbolt. Taking a much needed deep breath, he looked over at me. His eyes were full of brimstone and malice. His jaw was clenched tight and his face was the color of a ripe tomato. For the time ever, I was afraid of him. Though, he wouldn't hurt me. I knew Charlie thought of me like son, even if he wouldn't hesitate to kick my ass if I hurt his daughter. That was just the kind of father he was and I respected the fuck out of him.

"You need to take her down and have a restraining order issued against Renee," Charlie gritted out. "She wants something, I don't know what yet, but she won't give up this easily."

"Okay," I muttered, nodding in agreement.

"How'd she even find her?" Esme snarled, drawing our attention to her. Bella had always been reluctant to talk about her "mother" to anyone other than me, but Esme could read her like a book. She never asked my wife why Renee wasn't around, or even directed her concerns toward me, but somehow she still knew. Esme turned her gaze on me. "I'm sorry, Edward. The boys were hungry and Bella was asleep. I thought it would be nice to take them to McDonald's and get some lunch. I locked the house up after me, I swear."

"It's not your fault, Mom," I tried to assure her. "You couldn't have known. I'm going to go check on her and the boys."

"Okay, sweetheart."

As I walked down the hallway toward my bedroom, I heard Charlie questioning Esme on why she'd been here for Bella in the first place. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart before I pushed open the door. Bella had the boys on the bed with her, one arm tucked under the pillows and the other wrapped around the two of them. While the television was on, none of them were watching the show that flashed across the screen.

"Boys, go keep Grandpa out of trouble," I mumbled. Alex shifted his eyes over to Bella. "It's okay, Alex, I promise."

With a nod, he and Anthony climbed off our bed and went back out to the living room. I reached behind me and closed the door. Kicking my shoes off, I walked over and laid down next to Bella, nestling her into my arms. Her skin was fervid, her cheeks red and her eyes glassy. Careful not to hurt her, I grabbed the wash cloth off the nightstand and laid it across her forehead. Bella sighed, letting her eyelids flutter shut.

"Does that feel better?" I asked.

"A little," she whispered. "My head hurts."

"Baby, what happened?"

Bella rolled over and sat up against her pillows. I mimicked her position and waited. Renee was a hard limit for her, one that she avoided at all cost. Her betrayal when she found out she was pregnant with Alex cut through her like a knife. Not only did she tell Bella that Alex would be better off never having been born, but she said Bella wouldn't be equipped to handle raising him on her own. I'd never understand how a woman who abandoned her daughter felt she had the right to tell anyone that they'd be worthless as a parent.

"I woke up when I heard the doorbell. Esme had left a note saying that she'd taken the boys out, but I thought maybe she'd forgotten her key or something. I opened the door and there she stood." Bella shuddered. "I tried to slam the door in her face, but she stepped in before I could. I told her over and over to leave, but she ignored me. I could smell the booze just radiating off of her. It was like being around Lauren again."

"Did she hurt you?" The words struggled to get out, but I had to know.

"Not physically," she grumbled, looking up at me. "She had that wild and crazy look in her eye, Edward. I have to admit that I was scared."

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. "Charlie thinks we need to go get a restraining order against her."

"Probably a good idea."

The fact that she agreed so fast told me just how afraid she felt. Bringing my hand up to her cheek, I brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. She leaned into my hand, a delicate smile spreading over her lips. Every day I found myself falling further in love with her, in complete awe of everything she managed to do with her life.

"I love you," she whispered, closing the distance between our lips. "Don't ever leave me."

"Never," I promised, tucking her against my chest. Bella slipped her arm up, threading her fingers in my hair.

After a few minutes, I realized she'd fallen asleep. Detangling myself from her embrace, I pulled the covers over her and shut off the television. I left the door cracked open and headed back out into the living room, finding Charlie sitting on the couch with Esme while they watched the boys play on the Wii. They'd begged us to allow them to put it in their room, but neither of us thought they should. Bypassing them, I walked into the kitchen and poured out the coffee from this morning, starting a fresh pot.

Charlie came in, taking a seat at the table. "Is she okay?"

"Not really," I replied, grabbing two cups out of the cabinet. "She's sick, tired, and scared, Charlie. Should she be scared?"

"Maybe," he said, cryptically.

I slammed my hand on the counter, before looking over my shoulder at him. "This is my family, Charlie. If you know anything that could put them in harm's way, you'd better fucking tell me."

Cocking an eyebrow, he leaned back in his chair. "Because I know that you're just worried about my daughter, I'll…"

"My wife," I snarked, cutting him off. "She's my wife, Charlie, and the mother of my children. Now, I can't protect her or the boys if you're hiding shit from me."

The corners of his mouth twitched, but he managed not to smile. "Fine, a few months ago, Renee called me looking for Bella. I didn't tell her where she was, but, well, Renee has her ways of getting ahold of information. I suspect that Renee's learned of Bella's successful career and wants a piece of the action."

"What a bitch," I muttered, pouring us each a cup of coffee. Sitting his in front of him, I took the seat opposite of him. "Is she dangerous, Charlie?"

"I wouldn't have thought so, but there's something different about her now. Maybe it's drugs or something." He shook his head. "I don't know, but we have to extra careful. You need to make sure Aro and Tanya know; they can protect her interest at the publishing house. I have a couple friends on the Seattle PD. They owe me some favors, so I'll see what I can find on Renee and we'll get her out of the picture for good."

"Okay," I agreed.

Charlie turned in his seat, crossing his legs. "My biggest concern is that she'll go after the boys."

"I won't let her near them." Looking over my shoulder, I found Bella leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded in front of her. "She's not getting her hands my boys."

"No, she's not," I murmured, opening my arms to her. She crossed the room and settled in my lap, laying her head against my shoulder. "I thought you were sleeping?"

"I did for a few minutes, but my throat hurts. I thought I'd make some tea," she whispered, tracing her finger along the collar of my shirt.

I pressed my lips against her forehead. "Baby, have you taken anything for your fever?" She shook her head and I sighed. "Tylenol would be fine."

"I know, but I really don't like the idea of taking anything. Why take the chance?" she mumbled, sitting up. "I think I'm gonna make some hot tea and curl up in bed. Your mother confiscated my laptop, so maybe you and I could watch a movie?"

She batted her lashes at me, an innocent look on her face. Damn, she knew just how to manipulate me. Trying not to focus on the fact that her father was sitting across from us, I told her, "Why don't you go pick out a movie while I make you some tea?"

"Okay," she whispered, leaning in and kissing me. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

She ignored her father when she stood up and walked out of the kitchen. Of course, it might have been the gagging noises he made when she kissed me. I stood up and filled the kettle with water, setting it on the stove before pulling her favorite mug out of the cabinet. It was promotional cup with the book cover from her first real novel on it. Tanya ordered it for her, saying that she'd earned it ten times over.

"I'm gonna head home," Charlie announced, groaning when he stood up. "If you need me, just call."

I turned and faced him. "Thank you for coming. I know Bella feels better knowing that you were here."

"Edward, my boy, I've waited a long time to throw that woman out of a house. I hate that she's back in our lives. I will do everything I can to stop whatever cockamamie plan she's working, but, damn, it felt good to throw her out on her fat ass."

Charlie left after promising to take the boys fishing soon. They rushed off into their rooms, closing the door behind them while Esme came into the kitchen. I dug a tea bag out of the pantry, filling her cup with the boiling water and dipping the bag into it.

"I should go home, too. Let you take care of Bella," she said, slipping her arm around my shoulder. Leaning up on her tippy toes, she pressed her lips against my cheek. "You're a good man, Edward."

"Um, thanks, Mom," I replied, smiling. "You know, for coming over today and everything."

"It's my pleasure," she giggled. "That girl is so stubborn. Lots of fluids, keep a cool rag on her forehead, and try to get her to take something for the fever."

"I will, I promise."

After locking the front door after my mother, I carried Bella's tea into our bedroom. She was under the blankets, wet cloth on her forehead, and our DVD copy of A Walk to Remember in the player. Bella looked over and smiled, sending a tingle through me.

"The boys are in their room, doing God only knows. Charlie and Esme, who gave me a list of instructions on how to take care of you, have gone back home. The house is locked up and, baby, I am yours for the rest of the day."

"Only the day?" she asked, coyly.

Setting her tea on her nightstand, I sat on the side of the bed, draping my arm over her legs. "No, love, forever."

"Good, because I'm nearly done with you, yet."

Kissing her, I growled and stood up, quickly changing from my work clothes and into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. I climbed into bed, pulling the blanket over us, and starting the movie. Within ten minutes, Bella was curled up next to me, sound asleep. Settling into the mattress, I held her tight, vowing to keep my family safe.


	9. Chapter 9

BPOV

In the weeks that followed, I found myself on edge. Of course it didn't help that Edward hovered over me. When he wasn't by my side,Esme, Charlie, Carlisle, Jasper, Garrett, Ben, and even Emmett found their way to stop in, all of them claiming to be in the neighborhood. I wasn't stupid. They were worried about me and the boys. With my mother on the rampage, we all had to be careful of every move we made. I hated that she'd come back. Why couldn't she have just left us alone?

A few days after she returned, Edward and I headed down and filed for a restraining order. It had been the first day that I'd been able to get out of bed. I finally relented and took something for the fever, after talking to Tia of course. She assured me that taking a couple of Tylenol would be okay and that the fever would be more detrimental to the baby than the meds were, but I still hated taking the chance.

"Goddamn it," Edward bellowed, breaking through my mental musings.

I rushed out of our bathroom and down the hallway into the living room. The front door was wide open and Edward was sprawled out in the front lawn. Just a few inches in front of him was Alex's bike. The handle bar had snagged the bottom of his jeans, sending him flying. I tried not to laugh. Lord knows, I tried not to laugh, but my husband had just been attacked by a bicycle.

"Baby, are you okay?" I asked, bringing my hand over my mouth.

"Do I look okay?" he grumbled, scrambling to his feet. However, the bike's handle pulled at his leg, almost tugging his pants down around his ankles. "Fuck!"

"Dad, don't break my bike!" Alex exclaimed, rushing past me. Yanking on his bike, he pulled it away, nearly knocking Edward back down again.

"Alexander, what I have told you about leaving your bike in front of the door?" Edward grumbled, trying to look tough while placing his hands on his hips. Of course, the patch of wetness on his thigh and butt made it hard to take him too seriously.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. "You've never told me anything about leaving my bike anywhere."

Looking flabbergasted, Edward opened his mouth several times, looking like fish out of water. "Well, now I am telling you. Don't leave your bike or anything else in front of the door."

"Yes, sir." Alex smirked as he walked his bike around to the side of the house. Edward glared at him before walking into the house and toward our bedroom. Alex came in, his ears red from his stifled laughter. "Do you think he's really mad at me?"

"No, I think he's irritated, but not mad. You know better than to leave your stuff out like that," I replied.

"I know," he muttered, heading back toward his room.

"Tell your brother that we are leaving in ten minutes and to get a move on," I called after him.

"Okay." Alex waved me off, shutting the door behind him.

I locked the front door, a habit I found myself doing a lot over the last few weeks, before heading into mine and Edward's bedroom. He stood in front of the dresser, his white button up shirt barely covering his ass. His dark boxer briefs hugged his legs, leaving very little to the imagination. I stifled my moan. He was digging in his drawer for another pair of jeans; his other pair lay in a heap at his feet. Closing the door behind me, I crossed the room, slipping my arms around his waist. A moan reverberated from his chest.

"Are you okay?" I murmured, slipping my fingers inside his shirt.

"Yep, nothing hurt other than my pride," he grumbled. "It was more embarrassing than anything else." I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from laughing. "You can laugh, I know you want to."

"I'm sorry, baby, but it was funny," I giggled. Edward snorted and pulled a pair of jeans out. I dropped my arms from around him, moving over and sitting the side of our bed. Leaning against the dresser, he put his pants on, hiding his goodies from me. I sighed, causing him to look up at me.

"See something you like, baby?" he smirked, crossing the room in two giant steps and pinning me against the bed. With my arms caged over my head, he nestled himself between my legs. "God, I love you like this."

"Under you, all defenseless and at your mercy?" I cooed.

"Uh huh," he hummed, brushing his lips along the crook of my neck. "You smell good, love."

"It's my perfume," I gasped, arching into him. He snaked his tongue out, dragging it across my collarbone. "Edward!"

"Oh, fuck, baby," he groaned, his mouth finding mine. However before he could deepen our kiss, a hard, obnoxious knock came banging on our bedroom door.

"Mom, Dad, we're going to be late for school," Anthony yelled.

Edward dropped his forehead between my breasts, muffling his frustrated growl. I'd be lying if I said it didn't turn me on, because my girly parts screamed for him to touch them. Sighing, he released my hands and climbed off the bed, making a show of adjusting himself. It was in moments like those that I wished our boys were old enough to drive themselves to school. Ten wasn't too young to learn, was it? Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I scrambled off the bed, and followed Edward out of our room.

Alex and Anthony were standing next to the front door, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. Seeing us coming, they opened the front door, making a point to look around and make sure the coast was clear before letting their father walk outside. I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing as Edward muttered something about them being smartasses and getting them back one day. It was moments like this that I truly knew both of these boys were mine. They had my sense of humor down to an art form.

"You both had better sleep with one eye open," I teased, pushing them out of the house. Pulling door closed behind me, I locked it and turned back to them. "He's going to make sure you both pay dearly for making fun of him."

"We're not scared," Anthony scoffed, though the nervous twitch of his fingers told me otherwise. "Right, Alex?"

"Yeah, not scared at all," he mumbled. Bless my son, but he was a terrible liar. However, instead of calling him on it, I chose to let it go.

"Get your butts in the car," I laughed, shaking my head.

Edward glared at them as we climbed in, but either they didn't notice, or they didn't care. I was betting on option number two. Once we all had our seatbelts on, Edward started the car and headed toward the school. The boys were talking animatedly about some project they were working on in science. I didn't really pay them much attention. It wasn't that I didn't care about their school work, I did, but I also knew that they got excited about just about anything.

Ten minutes later, Edward parked the car in front of the school. Instead of climbing out and walking them to the door, like I really wanted to do, I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face them. They'd asked us to allow them to walk into school alone, saying something about being old enough to not need mommy and daddy following them around. Yeah, it hurt, but I understood. They were growing up and needed their independence, even if I wasn't ready for them to be so big yet.

"You have your lunch money, right?" I asked. As if on cue, they both rolled their eyes and nodded their heads. "Okay, Emmett is picking you up after school. Do not, I repeat do not, let him talk you into doing anything that might break your bodies. Please, I am begging you here."

"Yes, Mom," they mumbled together.

Anthony reached for the door handle, pushing the door open and climbing out. "I swear, break your head open one time and the woman thinks you're going to do something stupid."

"I know, right?" Alex scoffed, following.

Choosing not to reply, I turned back in my seat, pulling my seatbelt back on. "Wait till they are inside before you drive off."

"I am," he muttered, adjusting the rearview mirror.

It might seem paranoid to some, but with Renee out there, we couldn't be too careful. The boys walked into the school and a moment later, Mr. Taylor, their principal stepped out, waving a hand to know they were safe and sound. They'd been all too willing to go the extra step to protect the boys while they were there. It hurt to think that I had to protect my children from my mother, but I did. I couldn't let her hurt them.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked, reaching over and taking hold of my hand.

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Giving my hand an extra squeeze, Edward let go so he could shift into drive and pull out in to the throng of parents dropping their kids off at school. We didn't speak while he drove us across Seattle toward my doctor's office. I'd just hit twelve weeks and I hadn't had any morning sickness. Part of me worried, especially since I was so sick while pregnant with Alex, but the other half told me that I was overreacting. Which I was, but in my defense, I had raging hormones. I mean, that was a valid excuse, right?

Edward parked in front of Tia's building and cut the engine. Climbing out of the car, he came around and helped me out, slipping his arm around me. I leaned into him, pretending to be cold, but in reality, I was looking for any reason to snuggle into him.

Stepping off of the elevator on the third floor, I signed in, greeting Mary with a smile. We settled on a brown, leather loveseat that made me want to curl up and take a nap. We only had to wait a few minutes before Cora called us back. Edward placed his hand on my lower back. He needed the reassurance that I was still here, that I hadn't left him like Sarah had. Just as I needed to know that he'd be there when our child was born. Funny how a decade can go by and our fears were still there.

"How are you feeling?" Cora asked, opening my file. "I see here you were sick a few weeks back. Feeling okay now?"

"Still tired, but that might have to do with having two ten year old boys at home and less with my being under the weather," I replied, kicking my shoes off and stepping onto the scale. I purposely kept my eyes off the number, not needing to see how much weight I'd gained.

"Oh, yeah, I have two kids, fourteen and twelve; I totally understand what you mean." Cora laughed, scribbling in my chart. "You've gained—"

"I don't want to know," I blurted out, interrupting her. She raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I just don't really want to know how much I've gained. Unless, there's a problem with how much I've gained, of course. Is there a problem?"

"No," she laughed. "You're doing just fine, Bella."

Once Cora had taken my temperature, blood pressure, and had me pee in a cup, she led me and Edward into one of the exam rooms. Luckily, this time I didn't have to undress. Though, Edward did look back at the cotton gowns with a wistful expression. My silly, perverted man, how I loved him. Pulling over the rolling stool, he placed his hands on my knees, looking up at me from under his lashes. Oh, damn, he doesn't play fair.

"Knock, knock," Tia called, causing Edward to roll his stool back against the wall. I barely stopped my laughter at the look on his face. He looked like a boy who just got caught with his first dirty magazine. "How are we doing in here?"

"Good." I smiled as I looked back at her.

She closed the door, shifting her attention from me to Edward and back again. A smirk played on her lips. Yeah, she recognized the look on his face, too. "So, how's everything going? Have any morning sickness? Headaches? Cramps? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No morning sickness or cramps. A couple of headaches, but usually just late in the evening after I've been sitting in front of my computer all day. Other than being tired, I've really felt pretty good," I replied.

Tia nodded and turned toward the sink, washing her hands. "Edward, how are you? Any morning sickness, headaches, or cramps?"

"Um, no," he said, looking thoroughly confused. "Should I have them?"

"No, I just didn't want to leave you out." Tia laughed and dried her hands. "You'd be surprised the number of men who come in here with a list of complaints on how they feel like crap rather than how the momma's do."

"Hmm," he hummed. "That's, um, strange."

"Yes, it is," she agreed. Tia came back over, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Lay back, let me measure you."

I did as she asked and pulled up my shirt. Edward stood up, moving over and grabbing my hand. Tia smiled and pulled out her measuring tape. Pressing down on my stomach, she brought the tape down, measuring the size of my uterus. It didn't hurt per se, just felt really uncomfortable. Pursing her lips together, she scribbled her findings down in my chart. I started to sit up, but she pushed my shoulder back down.

"Stay here for a moment." Without another word, she walked out of my room.

I looked up at Edward. "Um, do you think there's something wrong?"

"Nah, I'm sure everything's fine," he said, but I saw right through his words. He was just as concerned as I was.

Tia came back in a few minutes later, pulling an ultra sound machine in behind her. She didn't say anything as she flipped off the lights and turned it on, the low hum filling the room. Settling on the stool Edward had given up, she picked up the bottle of gel, squirting it onto my stomach. Even though it was cold, I didn't utter a word. All I could think about was that something was wrong with the baby. I blinked back my tears, trying to be stronger than I actually felt. Edward brought my hand up to his lips, all in an effort to subdue my fears while hiding his own.

Tia lifted the wand, bringing it down on my stomach. Tilting her head to the side, she moved it around, marking a few spots on her screen. My demands for her to talk to me, to tell me what the hell was going on, died out in my throat. It hurt too much to think them, much less put a voice to them. A sigh of relief slipped between her lips just before she smiled, shifting her attention over to me. Her smile dropped instantly.

"What's wrong?" I cried, before she could speak.

A frown curved downward on her lips. "Nothing, Bella. Your babies are perfect."

"Don't lie to me," I snarked. "If they're-wait, what?"

Tia smiled. "I said your babies are perfect."

"Babies?" croaked Edward. "As in two?"

"Yes, as in two babies," she laughed. "When I measured you, you measured as being bigger than normal. So, I thought I'd do a quick scan to check that we had our dates right. I did not expect to find another baby hiding in there, but alas, there he or she was."

"But—no, you—oh my god," I gasped, bringing my free hand up over my mouth. "He was right."

"Who was right?" Edward asked, scrunching his face up.

"Um, Anthony," I scoffed. "Remember that night at your parents' house?"

"Oh fuck, I mean, shit," he muttered, throwing Tia an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"Don't be," she said, printing us off a handful of photos. "Here's your proof. I'd like to see you back in three weeks. Keep taking your vitamins and make sure you get some rest. You're gonna need it."

"Thanks," I murmured. Tia handed Edward a handful of paper towels before rolling the machine out of my exam room, leaving my checkout papers for me on the counter. I shifted my attention to him. "Wow."

"Yeah, wow," he laughed, shaking his head. Edward cleaned the gel off my stomach before helping me sit up. "You know he's never going to let us live this down, don't you?"

"I do." I smiled. "How do you think he knew?"

Edward shook his head. "I don't know." Leaning in, he brushed his lips across mine. "And I don't care. You're healthy, our sons are healthy, and our babies are healthy, that's all I care about, love."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Now, let's get out of here before Tia comes back and tells us we're having triplets or something."

Laughing, I let him help me off the table. I picked up my papers and the tucked the photos into my purse before heading out to the front desk. We set up my next appointment, tucking the reminder card in with the photos before making our way back down to the car. I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day wrapped up in his arms, to feel his body on mine, his touch, his lips; just him. But I couldn't. I had a meeting with Tanya and Aro, while he had to shoot the building downtown that he'd given up when I was sick.

However, all that ended when Edward turned the corner to our street and we found two fire trucks parked in front of our house. Our house which was blazing as the fire scorched through it.


	10. Chapter 10

EPOV

The second I had the car stopped, Bella had the door open and was running up the street toward our house. I shifted into park, jumping out and following. She'd barely managed fifteen steps when I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to the ground. Her nails dug into my arms as she fought against me, her body shaking from violent sobs. I understood how she felt. That was our house, hers and mine. Now, we'd lost it all.

"Our house," she wept, finally giving up the fight and slumping down in my arms.

"I know, baby," I murmured, trying to be strong and hide my tears.

We sat in the middle of the road and watched while the fire department tried to put out the fire that enveloped our house. We'd lose everything; all our belongings, pictures of the boys, my photography equipment, and Bella's laptop with her books on them. Our entire life together would be nothing more than a pile of ash.

"Oh, my god, Bella! Edward!" I looked over my shoulder, finding Esme running down the street toward us. She slid to a stop, dropped to her knees, and wrapped her arms around us both. "What in the hell happened here?"

I swallowed against the bile rising in my throat. "I don't know, we came home and found this."

"It was her," Bella whimpered. "My mother, that fucking bitch. She did this. All of this!"

"Calm down, love," I whispered, pressing my lips against the side of her head. Beside me, Esme looked shocked. While Bella had a mouth on her, Esme had never heard her utter more than a simple damn when things got frustrating. Bella was very careful about what she said and who was around when she let go.

"Edward, she took everything," Bella sobbed, rolling in my arms and wrapping hers around my neck. "What if the boys had been home? What if we'd been there?"

I tried to stifle my flinch, but the thought of our sons being inside that house had me tasting bile once again. "I know, baby."

Esme stood up, pulling her cell phone out of her back pocket and calling someone. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but based on the way she was clenching and unclenching her fist, she wasn't happy. A few minutes later, she slammed her phone shut and turned back to me and Bella. Catching my eye, she tried to hide her anger, but I could see right through her. My mother was scared and angry, a combination that never led to anything good.

Before I could ask her what was going on, one of the firemen came toward us, pulling off his helmet and running his hand through his dark, sweaty hair. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" he asked. "I'm Henry Jones, fire chief."

Nodding, I somehow managed to stand up and hold on to Bella at the same time. "That's us."

He blew out a hefty breath and looked back at our house. "We've got the blaze contained, but it's gonna be a few hours until it's out completely." He sighed and turned back to us. "Until then we won't know the extent of the damage, but from twenty-five years on the job, I can say that I've never seen a residential fire this bad. I'm sorry."

"Do you know what started it?" Bella asked, lifting her eyes to him.

"No, ma'am, not yet," he replied. "We'll do a full investigation once we get it out, but until then, we won't know anything for certain. Do you have someplace to stay?

"Yes, they do," Esme piped up, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Thank you, Chief."

Henry left us standing in the middle of the road. Bella brought her hand up, covering her mouth and muffling the strangled sobs. Nestling her further into my embrace, I looked over at Esme. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I'd gone to the market when I got a phone call from Mrs. Neilson, your neighbor from across the street. She told me about the fire and all I could think about was getting here. I am so sorry."

"Everything's gone," Bella whispered, her fingers sliding up to the collar of my shirt.

"Let's get you back to my house," Esme urged, brushing Bella's hair out of her face. "Come on, sweetheart."

Bella whimpered, but agreed to head to my parents' house. There wasn't any point in us staying here and watching everything we had crumble away. I led Bella back to our car, helping her into the passenger seat and letting Esme know we'd follow her there. Though I could tell she wasn't sure I was in the right state of mind to be driving, she didn't argue with me. Holding onto Bella's hand, I turned the car around and followed my mother away from what was once our home.

Bella spent the entire drive to Esme and Carlisle's curled up in the front seat, my hand tucked up between her breasts. I wanted to make it better, but I knew I couldn't. The last few weeks had been tense for her. As if being pregnant wasn't enough, she got sick and then her mother came back. Even though she tried to be strong, Renee's return had thrown her for a loop. I never wanted to hurt someone the way I did that crazy bitch. Shaking my head, I parked my car behind Esme's and shut off the engine.

Bella sighed, lifting her eyes to mine. "How do we tell the boys?"

"I don't know," I murmured, shaking my head.

"We have nothing left."

"That's not true, baby, we have each other. We have the boys, our family." I dropped my hand to her stomach. "We have our babies."

Smiling, Bella covered my hand with hers. "Twins."

"Pretty incredible, isn't it?"

"That it is, love." She sighed and looked up at my parents' house. "Your mother is about to have a stroke."

Following her gaze, I laughed. Esme was pacing on the front porch, her hands on her hips and her attention fixed directly on us. "You know she's desperate to feed you."

"Yeah, I know," she muttered, looking back at me. "I love you, Edward, and I know that everything's going to be okay eventually."

"Good and I love you, too." Leaning across the seat, I kissed her. "Somehow, we'll figure out where to go from here, I promise."

"I know," she said. "Together we can get through anything, right?"

"That's right, baby."

Bella and I climbed out, meeting in the front of the car. The early fall weather had turned chilly. Slipping my hand into hers, I led my beautiful wife into the house, ignoring the frantic worrying pouring off of my mother. Esme followed us into the house, ushering us into the kitchen. Before I could stop her, she pushed us toward two chairs and muttered a simple command, "Sit." Based on the look on her face, neither Bella nor I chose to argue with her. There were some battles that just weren't worth fighting. This was one.

"I'm thinking you both could use some soup," she murmured, opening the door to the fridge. Before either of us could utter a word, the front door was thrown open. Bella tensed, turning toward me with a small cry. Charlie slid to a stop in the doorway. He bent over, placing his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. "Charlie Swan, did you run all the way here?"

"No," he scoffed, gripping his side as he straightened up.

"He nearly jumped out of the car before we were even in the driveway," Sue added, following him in. She placed her coat and purse on the table, before moving around to where Bella was leaning toward me. "Oh, my dear, are you okay? Please tell me that you weren't home when the fire broke out?"

"No, Sue, we weren't," I said.

"I had a check-up this morning," Bella explained, dropping her hand to her stomach.

Charlie nodded and sat across from her. "Everything okay with the baby?"

Pressing my lips against the side of her head, I tried to hide my smile. Bella sighed. "Yeah, Daddy, things with the babies are good. Just wasn't expecting to find our house on fire when we got home."

"No, I imagine not," he scoffed, shaking his head.

Esme came over carrying two bowls of chicken noodle soup. "Eat," she ordered, giving us a look that said not to argue with her. "It's homemade and good for you and the baby."

Sliding over into her seat, Bella picked up her spoon and began to eat. Esme smiled and looked from her to me, lifting a single eyebrow. I cleared my throat and began to eat, too. "Charlie, Sue, would either of you like some soup?"

"No, thank you, Esme," Sue replied, placing her hand on top of Charlie's. "We were actually on our way back from lunch when you called."

Esme nodded and settled in the seat next to Charlie, but across from me. "I just can't believe this happened."

"Me either," Bella muttered, letting her spoon drop into her soup.

Dragging her hand over her face, I knew she was struggling to keep the tears at bay. I placed my hand on her back, pulling her back into my arms as she began to weep. She gripped the front of my shirt. Charlie shifted in his seat. He'd never been able to handle watching Bella fall apart. He'd told me on more than one occasion that watching her suffer had been the hardest moment in his life. I understood how he felt. I wanted nothing more than to make it all better, but the pain she was feeling filled my heart, too.

"Esme!" Carlisle yelled, rushing through the house. I looked up just in time to see him come running into the kitchen. He was still wearing his blue scrubs from the hospital. He looked from her to Charlie and Sue to me and Bella, his eyes softening. "Oh, sweetheart."

"She could have hurt my sons," Bella groused, her grip on my shirt tightening. "How could she do that?"

"Who, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

Scowling, she turned to him. "Renee! It had to be her!"

"Honey," Charlie started, "you can't be sure that your mom had anything to do with the fire."

Bella rolled her eyes. "First, that bitch isn't my mom." Ignoring the gasps coming from Esme and Sue, she continued, "Second, don't you think it's a little coincidental that she comes roaring into town and our house burns down? Oh, please don't tell me that you're that stupid, Dad."

My mouth fell open. I'd never heard Bella speak to her father like that. Based on the shocked look on his face, Charlie hadn't either. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I'm gonna ignore the rude, insolent tone in your voice, Bella, because I know that you're scared and hurting. Plus, you're pregnant so you're probably a bit irrational, but that doesn't excuse the attitude, young lady."

"Look, I'm sorry," she muttered. "But, Daddy, you have to admit that she's dangerous."

"I'm not saying she's not, honey, but you don't know that she started anything. It could have been an electrical short in the wiring, or perhaps you left the stove on."

Bella snorted and stood up. "Dad, I'm hormonal, not reckless." Picking up her bowl, she walked over and placed it in the sink, ignoring the huff from Esme. Turning back to us, she leaned against the counter. "I didn't even have the stove on this morning. The boys had cereal because we woke up late."

"Okay, I didn't mean to accuse you of anything," Charlie muttered, his ears turning red.

Standing up, I put my bowl in the sink and slipping my arm around my wife. "Right now, it doesn't matter how the fire started. We have to figure out how to tell the boys and where we go from here."

"Well, for now let's just focus on making this as easy for the boys as we can," Esme chirped, standing up and moving to the fridge. She began to rummage inside. "I could have sworn I had some cheesecake in here."

"Esme," Bella said, pulling my mother's attention to her. "Stop trying to feed us."

She opened her mouth several times before she sighed and closed the refrigerator. "Sorry, it's habit."

"It's okay." Running her hand over her face and through her hair, Bella shook her head. "I think I am going to lie down for a little while. Is it okay if I take Edward's old bedroom?"

"Take any room you want, sweetheart," Esme insisted. Bella nodded before walking out of the kitchen. "Go to her, Edward. She needs you."

"I know, Mom," I murmured, pushing away from the counter. "Believe me, I know."

I found Bella sitting on the side of my old bed, her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. Closing the door behind me, I crossed the room and knelt on the floor in front of her. Bella looked up at me as I took her hands in mine, a lost and devastated look in her eyes.

"Edward," she whispered.

"Me too," I said, answering her unspoken question.

Sliding up next to her, I wrapped my arms around her and lay back on the bed. Bella cuddled up next to me, her tears seeping into my shirt. Not that I cared. After a few minutes, I noticed that her breathing had begun to even out. Looking down, I saw that she'd fallen asleep. I tried to be careful and not wake her as I rolled onto my side, my hand coming down to rest on her stomach. We had two babies coming, and two sons to take care of, yet we didn't have a home, any clothes, or anything else for that matter. Suddenly, I felt like the worst husband and father in the world. It was my job to take care of my family and, right now, I wasn't doing a very good job of it.


	11. Chapter 11

BPOV

"Sweetheart, would you rather Carlisle and I pick them up?" Esme asked for the tenth time since Edward and I came back downstairs.

I smiled and wrapped my fingers around her hand. "No, Esme, we need to tell them ourselves, but thank you for the offer."

"Okay, well, if you're sure," she mumbled. "I'd better go check on dinner."

Letting her hand fall to her side, Esme shuffled into the kitchen. She worried about us, the boys, everyone in our family. I managed to sleep for a couple of hours before Edward woke me up. It was time to pick up the boys from school, and somehow we'd have to tell them that our house was gone. That everything we'd managed to collect after we became a family was gone. Bile crept its way up my throat. It felt like we were stuck in a nightmare, scrambling for anyway out. Only, there wasn't one. Our house was gone, and with it, everything we owned.

"We'll be back in a little while," Edward said, clearing his throat and breaking through the awkward silence that followed Esme's exit.

"Okay," Charlie replied. "Be safe."

Edward tightened his arm around my waist as we headed back out to our car. We weren't in a hurry to pick our sons up today. Other than needing to make sure they were okay, that Renee's reach hadn't gotten to them yet, I was dreading this moment. Both Alex and Anthony were good boys, loving and generous. They didn't deserve to lose everything just because my mother decided she wanted to be back in our lives — if that was really why she was here. She'd made herself clear when she told me that I'd be better off giving Alex away rather than raise him myself. She never did have faith in me. Maybe that's why she couldn't stay long enough to really be my mom. She didn't love me enough.

It took Edward almost half an hour to make the drive from his parents' house to the boys' school. He parked behind Jasper's truck from his construction company, but didn't climb out immediately. He knew, just as I did, that the minute we stepped out, our friends and family would be bombarding us with "I'm so sorry" and "If we can do anything." The sentiment was nice, but it was also annoying. Unless they knew how to reverse time and stop the fire from ravaging our home, they couldn't help.

"I love you," he whispered, bringing my hand up to his lips. "Don't ever forget that I love you, baby."

"And I love you," I replied. "Let's get this over with."

With a heavy sigh, Edward nodded his head and climbed out. I'd barely managed to push my door open when he was there, holding his hand out to me. I laughed, slipping my fingers in with his and allowing him to help me out of the car. He was silly and over-protective, but he was mine. All mine.

Edward and I walked over to the set of glass doors, where every pair of eyes turned to us. A rush of arms wrapped around the both of us. Rose was weeping, unable to get anything other than a few sobs out of her mouth, as was Kate. Angela only used one arm due to the wee baby she was cradling to her chest. Jasper seemed to be the only one who wasn't blubbering.

"Oh, you guys, we are so sorry," Angela whimpered, pulling back. "If Ben and I can do anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," I murmured, knowing this would be the standard response for a while. "We will."

"I can't believe this happened," Rose cried, covering her mouth with her hand. "Your house!"

"Yeah, we can't either," Edward grumbled, clearing his throat. "But at least we weren't home."

"Thank goodness for that," Jasper added.

I looked over at him, cocking an eyebrow. "Jas, what are you doing here? Ivy is in Alice's classroom which is in the back?"

"Oh, um," he started, shifting nervously from one foot to another. "I just thought that you might need me or something. I mean, I know I can't really say anything that makes it better, but . . ."

Before he could finish I slipped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest, and cried once again. Jasper wasn't one to push himself on anyone. Out of all the Cullens, he never got in my face when Edward and I first started seeing each other. It was only one of the reasons why Jasper and I were such good friends. He knew firsthand how overwhelming being welcomed into the family could be.

"Oh, um, okay," he mumbled, slowly bringing his arms up and hugging me back.

"Thank you," I whimpered.

"You're welcome," he whispered.

The bell rang signaling the end of the day and I pulled away from Jasper, doing everything I could to wipe the tears from my face. The boys, particularly Alex, would see them and it would automatically put them on edge. I didn't want that. This was going to be hard enough without adding my inability to keep myself together for more than five minutes.

As they usually were, the boys were the last ones to come out with Mattie, Elliott and Anna right next to them. Alex and Anna were still "boyfriend/girlfriend." Though, that didn't really mean anything more now than it did when they were in kindergarten. None of us saw it as a problem since we were very careful about limiting any time that they were alone. If anything, it was inspirational to see them able to hold onto the feelings that bubbled up inside of them. Both Alex and Anna had old souls. Who knows, give them twenty years and they may be welcoming their own child into this world.

"Mom, can Alex come over?" Anna asked Angela.

"Not today, sweetie," Angela murmured, giving me a small frown. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Fine," she muttered, her cheeks turning pink. Anna looked at Alex. "I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, okay," Alex murmured.

Clearing her throat, Angela placed her hand on Anna's shoulder and shuffled over to their car. Rose hugged us all, trying her hardest to keep her tears from pouring down her face and dragged a confused Elliott to their car. Jasper didn't say anything before he walked into the school. I suspected he was off to reassure Alice that the world hadn't crumbled and we were doing okay. Or as okay as one could be when they'd lost everything.

"You know, I feel like having some ice cream," Edward said. He turned his eyes to mine. "Doesn't that sound good?"

I nodded, even though the thought of ice cream had my stomach churning. "Delicious."

"Can we get a double dip?" Anthony asked, nearly giggling from excitement.

"Anything you want," I replied, a tremor filling my voice. Edward slipped his arm around my waist, tucking me into his side.

The boys didn't seem to notice that I was barely keeping myself together. They turned and ran over to the car, jumped into the backseat, and put on their seatbelts.

"How do we break their hearts?" I whispered.

I don't know," Edward replied. "I — I just don't know."

Edward brushed his lips against mine before we joined the boys in the car. The drive to Malcolm's Ice Cream Parlor was tense and awkward. We'd found the small shop about a year ago when we got lost trying to find this new Thai food place that had just opened in our area. We never did find that place; instead we stopped in and drowned our sorrows in bowl of homemade cookies and cream. From that moment on, Malcolm's was our little secret, where we went when we needed time together as a family. Now, it would be the place where we broke our sons' spirit. Today, they'd learn that shit happened no matter how hard you tried to keep it away.

Parking in the front, Edward cut the engine and sighed. I was the only one that heard it. The boys were too busy jabbing on and on about their day at school, and how they'd been learning about chemical and physical changes in science. I barely was able to keep my whimper inside when Alex stated that a log burning was a chemical change. Your house burning into nothing but ash was, too, yet I didn't feel the need to share that little detail with them.

We headed inside. The boys ordered two scoops: one vanilla and one chocolate. Edward went with cookies and cream, while I went with strawberry. I didn't really want any, but it was better than just sitting there letting the events of the day weigh over me. We settled at one of the tables in the back, enjoying the few minutes of peacefulness while we ate our frosty desert. For these few moments, everything in our lives could be as they were.

However, like all good things, the end came sooner than we wanted. The boys tossed our trash into the bin and stood next to us, waiting for us to get up.

"Boys, take a seat," Edward said. "Mom and I need to talk to you."

"Um, okay," Alex muttered, sliding into the booth across from us. He and Anthony shared a look before Anthony joined him. "Is everything okay?"

"No," Edward replied, slipping his hand into mine. "No, it's not."

"Are you getting divorced?" Anthony blurted out.

"What? No, of course not!" I scoffed. "It's nothing like that."

Their faces filled with relief. I wasn't sure why they thought Edward and I would be divorcing, but this wasn't the time or the place to have that discussion.

"Okay, so what's going on?" Alex asked.

"There's no easy way to say this," Edward told them. He brought my hand up to his lips. A tear slipped from his eye, down his cheek, and onto my knuckle. One of the things I loved the most about Edward was that he didn't try to hide his emotions — not from me or our children. "Our house caught on fire this morning. It's been completely destroyed."

Alex and Anthony looked from him to me, before falling back into their seats, shock and devastation on their faces.

"Everything's gone?" Alex asked.

"From what we could tell," I whispered.

"But, our toys? Our clothes?" Anthony huffed. "Everything?"

"We won't know for sure until the Fire Marshal lets us sort through it all, but from what we could tell, there won't be much — if anything — left." Edward sighed. "Guys, it's going to be okay."

"How can you say that?" Alex dragged his hand over his face, fighting to keep his tears back. Unlike Edward, Alex had a hard time with anyone seeing him upset. He wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve. "We're homeless!"

"No, we're not," Edward insisted. "For right now, we'll stay with Nana and Papa. I guess, we'll have to start over or something."

"B — but," Anthony stammered. "It's not fair!"

"I know, honey, it's not," I cried. Reaching across the table, I took both of their hands in mine. "But no matter what happens, we're together. You two, me and Dad, we're going to be okay."

"But what about the baby?" Alex groused. "Where is the baby gonna live?"

"The babies won't be here for a while. We have time to figure out where to go from here. But right now, we need to make sure that we remember that no matter what happens we're together."

"You don't understand," Alex huffed. Snapping his head up, he glared at me. "Did you say babies?"

I smiled. "Yes, I did."

"But what does that mean?" Anthony groused.

"It means, son," Edward started with a laugh, "that instead of one baby, we're having two babies."

"I knew it!" he cheered, pumping a fist in the air. "I told you!"

"Yeah, you did," Edward chuckled.

While Anthony smirked over being proven right, Alex fell back in his seat, a frown curving downward on his lips. "We were making something for the baby, or babies, but now it's gone."

"You're talking about the project you've been working on in your room?" Edward asked, lifting an eyebrow. The boys nodded, solemnly. "What to tell us about it?"

Alex sighed. "We wanted it to be a surprise, but I guess it's too late for that."

Anthony shifted in his seat. "We were building the baby a cradle."

"But you started it before we told you that there even was a baby," I said, looking between them. "Why would you do that?"

The boys shared a look before turning back to me and Edward. Alex took a deep breath and said, "They told us to."

"Who?" Edward before I could get the word to process.

"Sarah and Brody," they murmured together.

With those two little words, the air felt like it had been sucked out of my lungs. I didn't doubt them. Edward and I had experienced our own encounters with our departed loved ones. But hearing the boys talk about having dreamed about them had a shiver running up my spine.

"Oh," I whispered, leaning back in my seat. "What — what did they tell you?"

"I don't know," Alex muttered, his cheeks flaming bright red. "They said that everything was going to be okay and that we shouldn't waste any more time."

"Yeah, and they made us promise to be good brothers. They said the baby needed us," Alex added.

"How does the cradle come into the picture?" Edward asked, tightening his grip on my hand. There was so much I wanted to ask them, but the words were stuck in my throat.

Alex sighed before leaning forward and placing his elbow on the table. "In the dream, Mom was kneeling next to a cradle. It was really pretty. She was singing to the baby. I looked up at Brody and he told me she used to sing to me like that."

"I sang to you every night," I wept.

He nodded, turning his eyes away and looking out the window. "We thought you might do the same with the new baby, but now the cradle is gone."

"Well, maybe, we can make a new one," Edward suggested. The boys turned to him, smiles springing up on their faces. "I mean, I'm not a master craftsman or anything, but we could try making the babies a cradle, or two as the case may be. What do you say? Will you let me help?"

"Um, duh," scoffed Anthony. "Grandpa tried to help, but he spent more time cursing about hitting his thumb with the hammer."

"Yeah, Grandpa and tools isn't a great combination," I snickered. "I don't like that you hid this from us, but I do love you both for taking this challenge on."

"We weren't really doing very good with it," Alex admitted. "One side was shorter than the other."

"Did you measure them before you cut them?" Edward asked, laughing.

"Measure?" Anthony cocked an eyebrow. "With what? We used our shoes, but we couldn't find Alex's shoe when we started on the second piece, so we used Grandpa's."

"Yeah, that's what Grandpa told us to do," Alex added.

"Oh, my darling, what I have told you about listening to Grandpa?" I brought my hand down to my side while I laughed so hard I had tears. Good tears for a change.

"Not to," he muttered.

After a few more minutes of idle chit-chat, we left. It was a relief to know what the boys had been doing inside of their room for the last few weeks, even if it was disturbing that they had taken on such a task with zero supervision. I cringed just at the thought of how many times they'd used saws without someone keeping them safe. However, seeing as we'd already had a long day, I chose not to press the issue right now. We had enough to deal with. A feeling of déjà vu crept over me when Edward pulled our car up at his parents' house. I loved Carlisle and Esme, they'd taken Charlie, Alex, and I in and welcomed us to their family without a thought, but I didn't want to live with them. I wanted my home.

Edward slipped his hand into mine as we followed the boys up the front walk and into the house. I wasn't surprised to see Jasper, Alice, Rose, Emmett, Charlie, Sue, Carlisle, and Esme sitting on the couches when we came in. I could hear Elliott and Ivy in the playroom. The boys hugged their grandparents before taking off down the hallway to join them. They were stronger than I'd been. I admired them.

"How'd it go?" Esme asked, scrambling across the room to me and Edward. "I've been so worried."

"It went as well as can be expected." I shrugged my shoulders and allowed her to drag me over to the couch. She practically pushed me down. Edward took the seat next to me, slipping his hand into mine. He needed to be close to me, too. "They were devastated, of course." I turned and faced Charlie. "You're in trouble, old man."

"Me?" he exclaimed, his eyes flying open. "What'd I do?"

"They told us about the project," I explained. Charlie's mouth opened and he fell back on the couch. "Yeah, we know all about the cradle and how you were helping them. They could have gotten hurt, Dad."

"They wanted it to be a surprise," he muttered, the edges of his ears flushing bright red. "I didn't let them hurt themselves."

"No, you were too busy busting your thumbs with the hammer," Edward snickered, causing everyone to laugh. Everyone, but Charlie, of course. "But it's okay because the boys and I are going to start over and make the babies the best cradles, and we'll do it together."

"If you need any help . . ." Jasper trailed off in mid-sentence, scooting to the front of the couch. "Wait, did you say cradles? As in more than one?"

Edward grinned. "I did." Tightening his grip on my hand, he added, "Bella and I are having twins."

For a moment, nobody said anything. Then Esme gasped. "Are you serious?"

I looked over at her, seeing the tears begging to fall down her face. "Yes, Nana, you're getting two new babies to spoil."

"Oh, my darlings," she wept, pulling Edward and I into her arms. "What a blessing."

"They are," I agreed. "But now, we have to start completely over and I don't know what we'll do. We have two babies coming, and we're basically homeless."

"No, you're not," Carlisle scoffed. "You're staying here."

"Yeah, we are," I muttered, scrambling out of Esme's arms. "And I don't mean to offend you, Carlisle, but this isn't our home. Someone torched our home, and now, we have to start over. The boys' baby pictures, their baby books . . ." I shook my head, struggling to keep my tears from falling for the umpteenth time today. "We became a family in that house, and now it's gone."

Wrapping my arms around my torso, I crossed the living room and started up the stairs, leaving everyone staring at me. I walked into Edward's old bedroom, and crawled on his bed. A moment later, I felt the bed dip as Edward climbed on behind me, nestling me against his chest and holding me as I cried myself to sleep once again.


	12. Chapter 12

EPOV

_I will not lash out at my mother, I will not lash out at my mother. I will not . . . Oh, hell, there she goes again_, I thought as I watched Esme start her trip upstairs with a bowl Maple and brown sugar oatmeal in her hands. One day she would realize that trying to force food down my wife's throat wasn't going to help. Bella struggled to keep everything she ate down. Esme was just trying to do anything she could to make it easier on Bella, but my wife had made it clear before I came down to get the boys ready for school that Esme had better not come up there again. Unfortunately while I was busy making sure the boys' planners had been signed and that their homework was in their folders, Esme had slipped past me. She was crafty, that's for sure.

"Dad," I hissed, shifting my attention to Carlisle, who was sitting at the breakfast table with a piece of toast at his lips. He looked over at me. "You said you'd talk to her."

"And I did, but, Edward, this is just your mom for you," Carlisle replied. I scoffed. There was no way Carlisle put much effort in his talk with Esme. He was just as worried about Bella's lack of appetite as we were.

Shaking my head, I tossed the boys' backpacks at them. "Let's go."

"Fine," they both muttered.

Once I had them corralled in the car, I headed across Seattle toward their school. The early morning traffic added almost a half hour to our trip. It'd been two weeks since our house burned to the ground and we lost everything. Or, well, almost everything. We'd only been able to salvage a few items: a fire-proof box where we'd kept all of our financial papers, the boys' records, and a flash drive that had all of Bella's books on them — all of them but the one she'd been slaving over for Caius' benefit.

Sighing, I stopped at a red light. "Don't forget that after school, you're going home with Alice. She and Jasper are taking you to that new laser-tag place."

"Yeah, we know, Dad," Anthony grumbled. "You've reminded us ten times already, and Mom told us twenty times last night."

"Sorry," I muttered as the light turned green.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of the school and turned back to them. "Hey, you know I love you, right?"

"Dad," they grumbled.

"Yeah, we do," Anthony mumbled. "Stop being weird."

They climbed out and ran toward the front doors. I waited until they'd made in before I drove away. Call me paranoid, but with Renee on the loose, I wasn't taking any chances — even if they claim she couldn't have started the fire. According to the marshal, the cause of the blaze that destroyed everything we owned was because of an exposed wire running into the house. They believed that it's sparked during a power surge and everything after that was history.

Neither Bella nor I believed that to be true. Renee's sudden appearance in our lives was too convenient, and we suspected that she'd cut the wire. However, the fire marshal didn't think that was possible. He didn't know Renee, though. Hell, we didn't even know her. But from my experience, when a woman voluntarily leaves her only child at the age of four, only to come back when she needs money, there isn't a lot that person won't do. And I wasn't going to take any risks — not when it came to my family.

Half an hour later, I parked my car outside of my parents' house again and headed inside. Carlisle had already left for the hospital and Esme was piddling around in the kitchen, whistling the theme music to Gilligan's Island under her breath. Laughing to myself, I ran upstairs and into my old childhood bedroom. Bella was sitting on the bed with her new laptop propped up on her knees. Her mahogany hair had been pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and she wore one of my button-up shirts. The bottom few buttons had been left undone and I could see the small bulge from her growing belly. Bella had just passed the fourteen week mark and she'd never looked more beautiful.

"If you're going to just stand there and stare at me," she said, without looking up from her laptop, "can you at least close the door before your mom comes back?"

Laughing, I did as she'd asked before climbing on the bed next to her. She smiled and looked over at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Stressed," she chuckled, though it sounded tense. "I'm into chapter twelve now."

"And did you eat the oatmeal Esme brought you?" The moment the words came out, I regretted them immediately. Bella's already tension filled shoulders tightened and her fingers paused over her keyboard. "I'm sorry, I just worry."

"I know, and I tried, but it doesn't taste good."

"Can I make you something else? Maybe some toast? Or eggs?" Bella groaned. "Guess not."

"You know what really sounds good?" Shifting her eyes to me, she almost looked ashamed.

"What?" I wondered.

"Cotton candy," she whispered. "God, there isn't much I wouldn't do for some fluffy cotton candy right now."

I tried to stop from laughing, but the look on her face, so sweet and innocent, was making it impossible. Bella huffed and rolled her eyes before turning back to her laptop.

"Go ahead and laugh, jackass, but I'm serious," she grumbled. The corners of her lips twitched and she pushed her laptop off her lap. Turning to face me, she placed her hand in the middle of my chest, pushing me on my back. I groaned when she straddled me.

"Bella," I moaned.

"It's so delicious," she purred. "Every bite melts on my tongue, baby."

My cock hardened, the tone of her voice had me ready to take her and remind her that she was mine.

"Edward," she gasped. "I — I need . . ."

"What do you need?" I demanded, grabbing her hips and grinding myself against her.

Bella's head fell forward and her smirk grew. "I need some cotton candy. You get me some and I just might show you how much I appreciate you."

"What?" I huffed. "You want me to go get you some cotton candy right now?"

Bella pulled away from me and grabbed her laptop. "That's up to you, baby. I certainly wouldn't force you go out and get me some, but I will make it worth it if you do."

"Y — you're being mean," I whined.

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby," she snickered. "Just forget it; I don't really want it anyway. But I do need to work so, if you'll excuse me."

Bella turned all of her attention onto her laptop and I knew I had a choice to make. Do I believe her when she says to forget it, or do I go out and search Seattle for cotton candy? Inwardly, I snorted. That was a no brainer. Swinging my legs off the side of the bed, I stood up and left her alone. If my Bella wanted cotton candy, then I'd find it — somehow.

Esme was vacuuming the living room when I got downstairs. Spotting me, she shut the vacuum off and rushed over to me. "Did she eat? I can make her something else if she doesn't want the oatmeal. Perhaps some eggs and toast?"

"Mom!" I exclaimed. "Please stop."

"What? I'm just trying to help." Esme's lips began to tremble, making me feel guilty. If I didn't know for a fact that she knew how to manipulate me, I would have felt bad, but I did so I didn't.

"Yeah, I know, Mom, but she's scrambling to get her book for Caius done and the more you come in and try to force food down her throat, the more she's going to push you away. Just give her some time, okay?"

Esme pursed her lips together. "Fine, I'll try. Now, where are you off to?"

I smiled. "Bella wants cotton candy."

Scoffing, Esme rolled her eyes. "At nine in the morning? Yeah, because that's good for the babies."

"No, it's not, but if it gets her eat something, then I will get it." Leaning in, I kissed Esme's cheek. "I'll be back. Leave her alone."

Esme muttered something about me being dramatic, but I ignored her and ran out to my car. A few minutes later, I parked out in front of the closest convenience store I could find. Unfortunately, they were sold out so I had to keep looking. I didn't have any luck at the next five stores I stopped out. It was like suddenly there had been a mad rush for cotton candy. Frustrated, I parked outside of small candy store. I didn't expect them to have it, but seeing as I'd gone everywhere in a ten mile radius, what would it hurt to stop there.

Climbing out of my car, I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. When I walked inside, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sweet scent of melted chocolate. The glass cases that separated the front of the small shop from the back were filled with more candy than I'd ever seen. There were shelves full of chocolate covered strawberries, vanilla fudge, truffles, divinity, and so much more. Next to those were caramel apples, toffee, and peanut brittle.

"Hello," an older woman greeted as she came out of the back room. "Welcome to my little shop. How may I help you?"

"Oh, um, thanks," I murmured, stepping up to her. "I'm sure this will be a long shot, but you don't happen to have cotton candy, do you? See, my wife is pregnant, with twins, and she has a huge craving for cotton candy. I've already been to at least half a dozen stores. Nothing. You're my last hope."

The entire time I spoke, the woman had been watching me with an amused smile on her lips. Once I'd finished rambling, she giggled. "Hmm, I'm sure I can help you out. Would you like blue or pink?"

"Seriously?" I asked. "You have cotton candy?"

"This is a candy shop, my boy," she sang. "Now, blue or pink?"

I grinned. "One of each. I'll let her decide."

"Ah, smart man." She laughed before heading to the back. She came out a few minutes later with two giant bags of cotton candy. She tossed them on the counter, and asked, "Anything else?"

"Um," I mused, looking around. My eyes landed on the fudge. "Let me get a pound of vanilla fudge, and another one of butterscotch fudge."

"For your wife?" She cocked an eyebrow as she went over and began pulling the trays of fudge out.

"Hmm, yeah, let's go with that." I laughed. "I might share it with her."

"Oh, my boy, I don't think you'd have a choice in the matter."

"Why not?" I inquired.

"Because you love your wife too much not to share." She smiled, wrapped my fudge up in some tissue paper, and shoved it into a bag. "She's a lucky woman."

"No, Ma'am, I'm the lucky one," I murmured. "Believe me, my Bella is . . . well, she's amazing."

The woman's smile grew. "Sounds like it. That'll be twenty-two fifty."

Once I'd paid her, I gathered everything up and ran back out to my car. Traffic had died down a little, but it still took me nearly half an hour to make the drive back out to my parents' house. Bella and I had started searching the paper for anything that appealed to us, but the housing market wasn't what it used to be and the pickings weren't great. Neither of us wanted to settle for just anything, we wanted a home — someplace where we could raise our children.

Grabbing my goodies, I walked back into the house and straight upstairs. I wasn't sure where my mother was, but all I cared about right now was my wife. Making sure she got her cotton candy, and if I happened to get a little something for my effort, then I'd be happy. Not that I was counting on getting anything, but a man could hope.

Bella was just where I'd left her: in our bed. The sight of her focused on her writing had me smiling. She was beautiful and I was so in love with her.

"You really need to stop staring at me," she purred, shifting her attention to me. Her deep brown eyes widen she saw the two bags of cotton candy clenched in my hands. "I can't believe you really got me some."

"Of course I did," I chuckled, tossing both bags on the bed. I turned and placed the fudge on the dresser. "I also got myself some fudge, but if you're nice to me, I might let you have some."

"No thanks." The sound of her muffled words had me spinning. Bella already had a mouthful of the blue cotton candy and two handfuls of the pink waiting. "Damn this is good."

"Um, so I see." Climbing onto the bed next to her, I watched her relish each bite she took. Her eyes closed and she'd moaned. Bella's tongue snaked out, lapping at the corner of her mouth. "God, you're beautiful."

Her eyes fluttered open, her cheeks turning a rosy pink as she smiled. "Thank you for getting me some cotton candy."

"I'd do anything for you, Bella. If you wanted me to, I'd go to the end of the world. I love you."

Bella's lips trembled. "I love you, too."

Pushing the bags off onto the floor, Bella shut her laptop and moved it to the nightstand. She turned back to me and smiled. Bella sat up on her knees, her fingers trailing along the buttons of the shirt she was wearing. Her eyes were locked on mine as she pushed the first button through, then the next, and the next. I couldn't take my attention off of her. She was beautiful and mine — all mine.

Bella shrugged off her shirt, tossing it onto the floor. With nothing on but a pair of pink silk panties, she ran her hands over her breasts, a throaty moan slipping out of her mouth. "Edward."

I crawled across the bed, wrapping my arm around her waist and dragging her down on the bed. "You're so sexy."

Before she could utter a sound, I crushed my lips against hers, my tongue invading her mouth. I could taste the sweetness from the candy. Bella brought her fingers up, weaving them through my hair. Her hips were bushing up against mine. My cock was hard, pressing against the front of my jeans. I dragged my hands down her leg, gripping her thigh and pulling it against my hip.

Bella tore her lips away from mine and gasped. "Edward, I need you!"

"I'm here, baby," I groaned.

It took all the strength I had to release my hold on her leg and sit up. Grabbing the bottom of my T-shirt, I ripped it over my head, throwing it on top of hers. My hands reached for my jeans, but Bella's beat me. She tore them open, dragging the zipper down slowly. I groaned when she reached in, stroking me. The woman was going to kill me before she let me fuck her.

"Bella," I gritted.

She smirked before pulling her hand out and pushing my jeans and boxers down my hips, exposing my hard cock to her. I shimmied them the rest of the way off, kicking them away without a care of where they landed. Bella placed her hand on my chest and forced me onto my back, moving so that she straddled my legs. Letting her fingers drag over her breasts again, she reached up and pulled her hair down. Her brown, silky locks cradled her soft skin, caressing her sweet demeanor. She was a vixen.

Bella reached out, wrapping her fingers around my shaft. My hips jerked up and a whimper slipped out of my lips. Bella leaned down, wrapping her lips around the tip.

"Oh fuck," I cried out. Bella moaned, sliding me further into her mouth. I wrapped my fingers in her hair, resisting the urge to thrust upward. Bella dragged her tongue along my cock, lapping at the slit before releasing me. I'll admit it — I whimpered.

"Shh, love, I need you now. Foreplay will have to come later." Shifting upward, Bella lowered herself on me. "Jesus fuck!"

Bella pushed up on her knees before sliding back down, taking me inside of her once again. We both cried out at the contact. Setting a leisurely pace, Bella began to move against me. Our lovemaking was slow, both of us just focusing on the feeling of our bodies being joined as one.

I grabbed her hips, lifting my hips up to meet hers. The sensation of her warmth caressing me had me on the edge already. Sitting up, I pulled her legs around my waist. My hands searched her body, memorizing every curve — like I had a hundred times since she'd come into my life.

"Oh, baby," she moaned, pressing her forehead against mine.

Our eyes locked, neither of us being able to look away. Bella began to tremble against me, her breath coming out in shaky pants and I knew she was close. I brought my hand up to the back of her head, tangling in her hair and pulling backward. Her walls clenched down around me, pulling me over the edge as I found my own release.

Once we'd ridden our orgasms out, I let go of her hair. Bella nestled her face in the side of my neck, her warm blush creeping over her skin.

"That was fantastic," she whispered.

"A bit of an understatement, don't you think?" I asked.

Giggling, Bella leaned back. "Oh yeah. But now I'm dirty." I moaned again, the sweet, innocence in her words adding to her seduction. "I'd better take a shower."

"A shower, huh?" I growled, nipping at her collar bone. "How about if I join you?"

"I think that's a great idea," she cooed, suckling on my earlobe.

Twenty minutes later, Bella and I had showered and were back on my bed, fully clothed. Well, I was, anyway. She'd pulled the button-up shirt off the floor and slipped it back on, but had added a pair of my sweatpants. Bella had her laptop propped up on her legs, focusing on her book, and eating a bit of the butterscotch fudge that I'd bought.


	13. Chapter 13

**BPOV**

_This was fucking hopeless_, I thought to myself. Edward and I had been scouring Seattle for two weeks, yet nothing we found fit our needs. We were on the tenth, or maybe it was the eleventh house this week and it wasn't any better than the ones before it. Our needs were simple: we needed a large house, with plenty of space, close to the boys' school, and something that wouldn't have us needing to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

Simple, right? Nothing about trying to find a house was simple.

The first house we looked at seemed promising, until we actually went to see it. The four bedrooms, two baths with three car garage turned out to be three bedrooms, one large closet, one bath, two car garage, and a carport, that looked like it was going to collapse at any time. That alone wasn't enough to detour us away, but the fact that there were bars on the windows, and barbed wire lining the back fence, had us quickly vetoing it.

From there, things just got worse. Everything was either too far from the school, not big enough, or just too expensive. Edward and I made decent money, but we had two babies on the way, and two boys would we planned to send to college one day — even if Anthony was insisting that he didn't need college.

So once again, I found myself standing outside of yet another house, with the feeling of displeasure rumbling inside of me. The outside of the house was horrendous; it had been painted bubblegum pink, which is a color that should never be on a house. It looked big, and according to our realtor, Claire, it had five bedrooms, three bathrooms, but right off the bat, it just didn't feel like home. That was the problem; none of these places were our homes.

"Baby, you coming?" Edward asked, holding his hand out to me. I smiled, and placed mine in his, letting him direct me after Claire. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I murmured. "Let's just get this over with."

"You never know, baby, this one might be a good one," he said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as much as me.

Though, I knew we both understood that this wasn't going to be the one, I humored him and said, "Yeah, it looks . . . special."

Edward laughed under his breath. Keeping his fingers wrapped tightly around mine, we followed Claire up the front walkway and onto the small porch. The cement along the path had begun to crack from the roots growing under them. The porch was barely big enough for the three of us to stand on. Shaking my head, I knew this wasn't our home. I wanted someplace where I could rock my babies while watching the boys ride their bikes, somewhere that made us all feel safe again. Right now, none of us felt comfortable anywhere.

"Now, I know this place will need a bit of work, but it's listed on the lower side of your price range," Claire told us, looking over her shoulder at us. "Just have an open mind."

Something about the way she phrased that didn't sit well with me. Nodding, I replied, "We will" even though I already knew this wasn't our home.

Claire unlocked the thick, heavy wood door and motioned for us to follow her inside. Stepping into the living room, I had to bring my hand up to my mouth to stifle the gasping laughter that raced to the end of my tongue. This house hadn't been updated since the early seventies at least. Wood paneling covered the walls, and tacky, burnt orange shag carpeting covered the floor. The wallpaper in the kitchen was beige with fruit on it: like grapes, pears, and apples. The cabinets were the same color orange as the carpet, which continued into the kitchen. With the addition of the olive-green refrigerator and stove, it felt like I'd stepped into a time machine.

From there, it just got worse. Every room in the house either had wallpaper or wood paneling. The carpet was filthy and needed to be pulled and burned. There were five bedrooms, but they were small, barely large enough for a bed and dresser, much less anything else. By the time we stepped out of the house, my head hurt, and I felt the need for a shower — a very hot shower.

"Well," Claire started, clearing her throat and turning toward me and Edward, "like I said, it needs a bit of work."

"A bit?" I scoffed. "It would need to be gutted and completely redone."

Uncomfortable, Claire shifted from one foot to the other, obviously unsure of what to say.

Edward slipped his arm around my waist, nestling me against him. "We'll be in touch next week, Claire, but I think I speak for both of us when I say that this place isn't for us."

"Not sure we'll ever find someplace," I muttered, pulling myself out of his arms and walking back down to the car.

Sliding into the front seat, I kept my eyes trained on my hands as I pulled on my seatbelt, nestling the black strap under my belly. Yesterday, I'd passed the sixteen week mark, and we were still living with Carlisle and Esme. Blinking several times, I struggled to keep the tears from pouring down my face. I tried to be discreet when Edward slid in behind the wheel and brush the tears off by sweeping them off with my shoulder, but when he reached over and took ahold of my hand, I knew I'd failed.

Sighing, I lifted my eyes to his. I wanted our home back. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You hated it, I hated it. I just don't know what to do now. We're running out of options." Edward brought my hand up to his lips. "I'm starting to think we'll never find a house."

"Yeah, me too," I muttered, shaking my head. "We'd better get to the school. I guess, we go back to looking."

"Fun," he grumbled, letting go of my hand and starting the car.

—MF—

Half an hour later, Edward pulled our car up in front of the school. When he cursed under his breath, I looked up from my cell phone at him and finding that he was glaring out the windshield. Turning to where he was looking, I gasped and fought against the bile creeping into my mouth. I couldn't believe she was standing right there, glowering at Rose, Kate, and Angela who were blocking the doorway to the building.

Renee, looking especially trashy today, had her hands on her hips, her blood-red nails contrasting against the ratty denim mini-skirt she was wearing. It was too short, showing off way too much of her pasty-white legs than a woman her age should. With the addition of her KISS T-shirt, and three inch red heels, I was embarrassed — even more than I'd already been.

Scrambling out of the car, I raced over to where she was. "What are you doing here?" I snarled.

"I came to see my grandson," she slurred. My stomach churned from the smell of booze radiating off of her.

Edward grabbed the tops of my arms, pulling me back against him before I could do as much as lift my foot. "No, baby, I'm handling this."

Before I could argue with him, he released me and strode over to Renee, wrapping his fingers around her boney arms and dragging her away from the school. I wanted to yell for him not to touch her, but I stifled that impulse. First, we didn't need the added attention from the parents who were waiting for their kids to be released, and second, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my reaction PG.

Edward leaned toward Renee, the anger in his words evident by the tension in his jaw and the way his chest heaved with every breath he took. I wasn't sure what he was saying to her, but based on the look on her face, it wasn't what she expected. Good, she shouldn't expect anything from him — or me. Not after telling me that my son would be better off without me.

Renee would never understand just how hurtful her words were to me. She'd never been a mother to me — in any way — but I never expected her to look me straight in the eye and tell me that I couldn't do it, that my son would be better off without me. Not just days after burying my fiancé, not just days after my entire world had been turned upside down. The moment she told me that I could never be the mother Alex needed, I knew she couldn't be in our life. And now, here she was, trying to force her way in.

"Bella, are you okay?" At the sound of Rose's voice, I shifted my attention to her. It wasn't until I noticed her eyes trained on my stomach, that I realized I'd been cradling my baby bump.

Trying to muster up my best smile, I said, "I, um, I'm fine. How long has she been here?"

"She showed up a couple minutes before you and Edward did," Rose murmured, bringing her hand up to her throat. "We wouldn't have let the boys near her, Bella. You have to know that. I called Emmett, who said he was on the way."

"I know, Rose," I replied. "Thank you for that. Just wish she'd leave us alone."

The bell chimed, signaling the end of the day. I snapped my attention over to Edward and Renee. She sighed, and nodded to whatever his last words were, before walking away. I watched as she crossed the street and climbed into a rusted Volkswagen Beetle that looked like it had about five different coats of paint on it. It wasn't until she pulled away from the curb, and turned the corner that I released the breath that had been struggling to get out. Edward ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he made his way back over to me.

"What'd she want?" I asked, the moment he was within earshot.

"Just to talk," he mumbled, and I knew there was more to the story than that. However, the sound of the kids rushing out of the building put a definite halt on our conversation. For now, we'd focus on the boys, and worry about Renee later. Edward leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. "I love you."

I smiled, the warmth engulfing my cheeks. "I love you, too."

"Eww, get a room," Anthony whined, making his presence clear. Giggling, I looked over my shoulder, unsurprised to see Alex, Anna, Elliott, and Mattie standing right behind him. Alex and Anthony looked disgusted and embarrassed that their parents would actually show each other affections in public, which just added to my amusement.

"Get over it," I snickered, turning in Edward's arms. He buried his face in my hair, trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. He failed miserably. "How was school?"

"Good until now," Anthony grumbled. "Can we go now? People are starting to stare, you know."

Before I could reply, Emmett's patrol turned the corner, and came to a stop in front of Rose's new Kia Sorrento. He was out of the car, and rushing up to us before I could blink. Sighing, I turned back to the boys. "Do me a favor and go wait inside for a few."

Anthony started to complain, but Alex grabbed his shoulder and said, "Sure, Mom."

Perhaps Anthony saw something in Alex's eyes that told him to listen to him, but Anthony nodded and followed him, Elliott, Anna, and Mattie back into to building. Edward slipped his arm around my waist and walked me over where Emmett and Rose were waiting. Kate and Angela were behind them, trying to get Jude to stop fussing. No doubt he could feel the stress and tension rolling off of everyone.

"Hey, Bella, you okay?" Emmett asked, running his hand through his curly hair.

"I'm fine, Em," I murmured, trying to reassure him. "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, no problem," he muttered. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. I would have carted her ass off in a pair handcuffs."

"No, you wouldn't have." When he cocked an eyebrow at me, I shrugged my shoulders. "Not with all the kids here. You wouldn't have wanted them to be scared."

Emmett chuckled darkly. "Yeah, guess you're right about that." Sighing, he shook his head. "I've put in a request to have a car parked here every afternoon. I don't know if they will approve it or not, but I'll try."

"She won't be back," Edward stated like it was fact. I shifted my attention up to his. He winked at me, and I knew he was keeping something from me. "Trust me."

"I do," I whispered.

"Edward, how can you be sure?" Emmett asked, clearly not accepting Edward at his word.

"She and I had a conversation," Edward simply stated.

Before Emmett could push for more information, the front doors to the school opened. We all looked over to see the kids coming back out with Mrs. Shelton behind them. With a glowering look on her face, she gestured for the kids to come down to us, and walked back inside. She was a bitter old woman who didn't like her job. She taught fourth grade and hadn't made her irritation with children hard to see.

"Mrs. Shelton says we can't stay inside once the bell rings," Alex said, before any of us could question them.

"She's just gonna have to," Edward snarled, releasing me so that he could go inside.

I threw my hand out and grabbed his arm. "Just leave it, Edward. At least for now. We should get going anyway."

Nodding, Edward turned back to me, bringing his hand up to cradle my cheek. He leaned in and kissed me chastely, causing the boys to groan, while Anna and Mattie whispered, "Aw."

"Dad!" Anthony yelled, grabbing his arm and pulling his hand down. "Dude, you're embarrassing us."

"Dude, deal with it," Edward snickered. "She's my wife, and I will kiss her any time I want."

I could feel my cheeks turn bright red, yet I couldn't find it in myself to care. Anthony rolled his eyes and turned to me. "Can we go now?"

"Fine, let's go," I giggled. Turning back to everyone, I said, "See you guys later, and thanks again."

"Anytime," Rose laughed.

Emmett walked her and Elliott over to her car, while Kate and Angela headed toward theirs. Edward placed his hand on the small of my back as we walked back to ours. When he opened the car door for me, the boys grimaced. Seriously, they were being so silly about their father showing me any type of affection. Choosing that now wasn't the time to discuss this; I slide into my seat and put my seatbelt on. The boys climbed into the back and started rambling on about their homework. Edward slid in behind the wheel, and drove us back to Carlisle and Esme's—longing for a home of our own.


	14. Chapter 14

**EPOV**

My shoulders ached and my head throbbed. I wanted to sleep; I needed to sleep. But I couldn't. For the fourth night in a row, I found myself sitting in front of the computer and scouring the internet for a house for my family. There was nothing — nothing that was good enough for us and I was starting to lose hope that we'd ever find one.

The problem was that we wanted perfection. Bella wanted a big kitchen, but nothing so large that she'd get overwhelmed with it all. The boys still wanted to share a room, but we knew that they were getting to the age that they'd need more space. With the babies coming, we'd need a room for them, plus a guest room. We wanted two living rooms: one formal and one that would be more relaxing. Plus, Bella would need someplace to work, somewhere she could draw on her muse. I could picture her nestled in a small loft with the babies sleeping in a playpen behind her. She'd have a cup of coffee in her hands and a hundred thousand words on the screen.

But here, at my parents' house, she wouldn't have that. Here she'd have my mother up her ass, trying to pamper her. Esme only wanted to help, and Bella knew this as well as I did, but Bella was independent. She'd spent five years raising Alex on her own, and another five years learning to let me in. It wasn't easy for her, just like it wasn't easy for me to let Bella into my life. Now, we needed a place to be a family again.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Looking over my shoulder, I smiled. Bella was sitting up in our bed, rubbing a hand over face and trying her hardest to stifle a yawn. "It's after three."

"I couldn't sleep," I murmured, shutting off my monitor and standing up. I walked over and climbed on the bed, sliding my arms around her and nestling her against my chest. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," she said, yawning. "See anything you liked?"

"No," I whispered, running my fingers through her hair. "Go to sleep."

"We can talk if you want," she mumbled, though I could tell she was already starting to dose off.

"Sleep, baby."

Bella mumbled under her breath again, but wrapped herself around me more and drifted off to sleep. Closing my own eyes, I tried to push back my worries. Sooner or later we'd find a house, wouldn't we?

—MF—

When I awoke the next morning, I reached for Bella, but found myself alone. Sitting up, I searched the room for her, but she wasn't there. A quick glance at the clock told me that she was probably downstairs with the boys, trying to get them to eat breakfast. Throwing the blankets off, I climbed out of bed and downstairs. I found Bella in the kitchen, sitting next to the boys. They were laughing, the most carefree laughter that I'd heard from them in so long. I had missed them like this. I missed me being like this. Bella looked over at me, a beautiful smile spreading over her face and her eyes sparkled. God, I loved her so much.

"Hey, want some coffee?" Bella asked, not waiting for me to answer before she was on her feet and halfway across the room.

"Sure, thanks," I said, taking the seat next to Alex. He looked up at me and nodded before turning back to his plate of blueberry pancakes. I nearly snorted: Bella knew the best way to get the boys to eat was to make pancakes. Bella placed my mug in front of me, and leaned down, kissing me softly. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she murmured, sitting next to me. "I'm surprised you're up seeing as you were on the computer so late."

"I missed you," I admitted, ignoring the groans coming from the boys. There was a time when they thought it was cool that Bella and I were so mushy. Guess things change when you hit the double-digits. "Where's my mom?"

"She went to meet your dad for breakfast at the hospital," Bella replied, shifting her attention from mine.

I sighed. Esme going to the hospital could only mean one thing: Carlisle had lost a patient. His work with kids was rewarding ninety-nine percent of the time, but that one percent often had him on his knees. Carlisle tried not to get too attached to his patients, but he couldn't stop that part of him. He loved children and wanted to do everything he could to make their lives better. More than once when I was a child, I watched him walk through the front door and go up the stairs. I'd seen the anguish on his face, the sorrow in his eyes. My father gave a part of himself to each patient he treated.

"Boys, if you're done, put your plates in the sink and go brush your teeth," Bella said, reaching over and covering my hand with hers. "Hurry or we'll be late."

"Yes, ma'am," they muttered and did as she asked.

The minute they were out of the room, Bella turned back to me. "Are you okay? I'm worried about you. You've been up late a lot this week."

I smiled. "I'm fine, just having trouble sleeping."

"Hmm, guess I'm not doing a great job at wearing you out, huh?" Bella giggled, bringing her hand up to my cheek.

Growling, I leaned in and kissed her. "You're amazing, baby. Every time," I whispered. "I just couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts inside my head."

"I understand," she mumbled.

"Mom, let's go!" Anthony yelled from the living room.

Bella laughed and kissed me again. "Be back soon."

"I love you." Standing up, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her harder.

"I love you, too," she giggled.

—MF—

I waited until Bella and the boys left before I headed back up to our room and settled back in front of my computer. After checking my email and discarding a handful of junk-mail, I started checking for houses once again. I don't know why I hoped that sometime between three in the morning and eight the perfect house would have gone up, but the disappointment I felt weighed heavily on my shoulders.

I was still sitting in front of the computer when Bella got home. She laughed and sat in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. My hand automatically found its way to her expanding belly. I never got tired of feeling my babies inside of her. Laying my head on her shoulder, I smiled.

"Did the boys give you any trouble?" I asked.

"Nah, not really," she muttered. "I think they could tell I was worried."

I sighed. "Baby, she's not coming back. Not there at least."

"No, I know." Though I could tell she didn't really feel that way. Renee had barreled her way into our lives. Seeing her standing in front of the school last week had me seeing red, but seeing the effects of her arrival on my wife, who was already struggling with the fire and carrying two babies, had me furious.

_I had to get her away from my family. It was time to deal with Renee and I wasn't going to wait any longer. Releasing my hold on Bella, I strode over to Renee and grabbed the top of her arm, dragging her as far away from the building as I could before I turned to her and unleashed my fury._

"_You need to stay the hell away from my family. You're a bitch; a cold-hearted bitch, who left her daughter behind when she needed you. And you know, if I'd been Charlie, I would have made sure that you never got to see her again, but he's a better man than me, I guess. He gave you more than a few chances when she was little, but you blew it."_

"_I know," Renee slurred, but shut her mouth when I held up a hand._

"_You don't know," I snarled. "I know what it's like to have to raise a child on my own. When Sarah died, the only way I was able to make it through each day was because of my son. Anthony was my world, but there was still something missing. Bella and Alex came into our lives and suddenly, everything was perfect. Now, you're here and trying to ruin it all."_

"_No, I just want a chance," she babbled. _

"_You've had your chance. Leave my family alone. Get the hell out of Seattle, or I will make sure that you pay for every fucking thing you've done to us."_

_The sound of the bell chiming startled Renee. She sighed, looked back at Bella, and walked over to her car, finally leaving us alone. I ran my hand through my hair before heading back over to my wife, hoping and praying that Renee would heed my warning and leave us alone._

"Edward," Bella sang, nuzzling the side of my neck with her nose. "Are you sleeping instead of listening to me?"

"No," I laughed. "Just thinking."

"Thinking is a nasty habit," she snickered. "Leads to naughtiness."

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "Like what?"

"Um," Bella murmured, climbing off my lap. Walking behind me, she ran her hand down across her breast, over her belly to the bottom of her T-shirt. Slower than I wanted, Bella slipped it up her body, tossing it on the floor. I moaned; the vision of her engorged breasts stuffed into her baby-pink bra had my cock twitching inside my pajama pants. "I'm feeling hot."

"Hot?" I moaned, sliding my hand inside my pants and stroking myself. "Anything else?"

Nodding, Bella dropped her hands to the waistband on her yoga pants, slipping them off and letting them join her shirt. She lifted her eyes up to mine as she hooked her fingers into the side of her panties, taking them off as well. Before I could even take a breath, Bella slid her fingers into her pussy.

Smirking, she said, "I'm wet, too."

"Bella," I gritted, shoving my pants down my thighs. I tightened my grip on my cock, watching as Bella touched herself in front of me. She was exquisite and mine — all mine.

"Told you it all leads to naughtiness," she purred, climbing onto the bed. With her on her hands and knees, I couldn't stop myself from scrambling to my feet and crossing the room. I grabbed Bella by the hips, burying myself inside of her. "EDWARD!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I need to feel you, to be inside of you." I groaned as I quickened my pace, filling her more with each thrust of my hips. "Fuck, you're amazing."

"I — it's you," she cried, clinching the blanket tightly. "Baby, harder!"

"Jesus fuck," I muttered, under my breath, but gave her what she wanted. Bella pushed back against me, meeting me half way. Bringing her hand up between her legs, I felt her fingers grazing along my shaft and I had to fight the urge to come, but damn, I loved the way she touched herself.

"Edward, more!" she begged. Looking over her shoulder, Bella whimpered with need. "Please!"

"You — don't — have — to — beg," I moaned, articulating my point with a thrust of my hips.

Bella shuddered as she lost control and fell over the edge, letting her orgasm soar through her. Feeling her body clenching around me, took me with her. With a few hard shifts, I filled her, riding out my release. Just like always, Bella and I were perfect together.

—MF—

"We're never going to find the perfect house." Bella was leaning back on a stack of pillows, rubbing her belly with a wistful look on her face. We'd been lying on the bed in post-clitoral bliss for nearly an hour. "We have to accept it and just pick one, I guess."

"I don't want to settle on something we don't love," I said, rolling onto my side and looking up at her.

"I don't either, but the boys deserve a real house; one where they can explore and play. We don't have many more years before they are going to grow up. I don't want to take that part of their childhood away from them." Bella's lips began to tremble. "We're having babies, Edward, and I want them to have a home to go to when they're born. A real home."

"But settling for just any house isn't going to give them a home," I replied, sitting up. Reaching over, I grabbed her hand and brought it up to my lips.

"Neither is this place," Bella, whimpered. "I love Carlisle and Esme, but I don't want to raise my children here."

"So what do we do?" I asked. "Because we've searched and searched, yet there is nothing out there. And I refuse to settle for less than the best. Not when it comes to my family."

"I don't know." Bella sighed. "We could rent an apartment, I guess. Or –"

"We could build," I muttered.

"What? We can't afford to build a new house. The insurance money from the house isn't going to cover building new — not entirely."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Then we talk to the bank about getting a new loan. Or we can dive into our savings. From where I'm sitting, we have two choices: we can either rebuild on the same patch of land as the old house, or we can start somewhere fresh."

"Hmm, true," Bella mumbled. "I hate to think about us spending all of our savings on a house, though. I mean, the boys will be going to college before we know it."

"Well that's saying that Anthony is going to college," I laughed. Bella scowled. "Baby, I'm teasing. That boy is going to college, even if I have to go with him."

"You might have to," Bella giggled.

"Look, I don't have all the answers, but at least we can do some research. It won't hurt, will it?" I asked.

"I suppose not," Bella replied. "Not like we're finding anything nice anyway."

"No, we're certainly not," I scoffed, leaning back next to her. "We can have whatever we want, how we want it, and where we want it."

"Yeah," she mused. Bella pulled my hand down and laid it to rest on her stomach. "But do we have time before the babies are born?"

"I don't know," I said. "If not, then we'll make it work."

"You make it sound easy," Bella exclaimed. "Edward, I don't like living here. I feel like Esme is constantly watching over me, and while I understand that she needs to feel needed, I need space."

"That's a lot of need." She rolled her eyes causing me smiled. "I'm sorry, just trying to lighten things up a little."

"Well don't," she sighed.

"Okay, I'll stop being all cool and awesome."

"You're a dork," Bella snickered. "Good thing you're cute."

"Just cute?" I gasped, pretending to be upset.

"No, not just cute. You're sexy, too." Bella smiled and moved so that she was straddling me. I groaned and grabbed her hips. The urge to bury myself inside of her again was stirring. "I don't mean to sound like whiner baby, I really don't. But I need to be able to mother our boys without worrying about if I choose to give them cupcakes before dinner that Esme is going to scold me. I'm all for looking into building a house, but we need to find someplace for us to live between now and then."

Nodding, I sat up and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Then we will. I love you, Bella, and I'll give you whatever I can if it makes you happy."

"I love you, too," she murmured. "Now, make love to me."

I growled and rolled us so that she was under me. However, before I could strip off our remaining clothes, a loud, thundering knock echoed on the door. I groaned and climbed off the bed, pulling on my boxers and pajama pants. Once I made sure that Bella was dressed again, I opened the door, finding Charlie standing there.

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Dad?" Bella came up behind me, placing her hand on the small of my back.

"Honey," Charlie started, a grave look covering his face. "Renee's gone."

"Thank God," Bella muttered, not bothering to hide her disgust. "She couldn't have left soon enough."

"No, Bella, you don't understand," Charlie said. Pausing, he took a deep breath. "She's dead."


	15. Chapter 15

**BPOV**

It took me a solid five seconds to process what Charlie had just said. Renee was dead. My mother, the woman who'd abandoned me as a child and degraded me after learning that I wouldn't give my son up to what she referred to as a proper family, was dead.

"How?" I asked, unsettled by the calmness of my voice.

"I don't know," he said, quietly. "They're guessing an overdose, but until they do an autopsy and everything, they won't know for sure."

"That is . . ." I shook my head. "That is so like her. It was bound to happen sooner or later, right? Whether it was behind the wheel of a car, or some hotel room, her drinking and drug habit were bound to catch up to her eventually."

"I suppose so," Charlie muttered. "Look, I'll get the boys from school, okay? You don't have to worry about anything, we're here to help."

"No, I'll get the boys, it's fine," I said, taking a deep breath. "Um, yeah, I'll get them."

"Honey, I don't mind," Charlie insisted.

I shifted my eyes up to his. "I said I will pick up my children from school. Christ, I'm fine, okay?"

"Whatever you say," Charlie mumbled, dropping his eyes to the floor. "Sorry to bother you."

Before I could apologize, Charlie turned and headed downstairs. Edward closed the door to his room and looked back at me. The expression on his face told me everything: I'd been a bitch. My father was trying to help, and instead of letting him, I'd lashed out at him.

I shook my head. "Wow, could I have handled that any worse?"

"Probably." Edward smiled and pulled me into his arms. "You know he was just trying to help."

"I do, but she wasn't anything to me, Edward. Why should I care if she's dead?"

"Because even though she was a bitch, and even though she hurt you in ways that I'll never truly understand, she was your mother," he whispered, rubbing my back. "And it's okay to be sad, Bella."

I sighed, and looked up at him. "That's the problem, I'm not sad. Edward, I feel relieved. She can't come after us, she can't hurt the boys. It's selfish of me, but I'm glad she's dead."

"Baby, there isn't a selfish bone in your body." Edward leaned down and kissed my lips. "And you're not supposed to feel any certain way. Just remember, though, that I'm here if or when you need someone to talk to, okay? Promise me that you won't hide from me."

"I promise," I murmured. "And thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, we'd better get some work done before it's time to go get the boys. We, um, wasted a lot of time this morning doing other things."

I smirked. "I don't call what we did wasting time. I rather enjoyed the way you took me."

Edward groaned. "Me too, baby, but if I don't get those proofs emailed to Sam, then I won't be having a show next month and we can't afford that."

"Fine," I sighed, detangling myself from his arms. "Suppose I could edit my book for Caius or something. Besides, Demetri left me like half a dozen voicemails and I should probably call him back."

"Um, yeah, because last time you ignored him, he came charging over and threatened to kick my ass, which was ironic seeing as it wasn't my fault that you enjoy ignoring him."

"I don't enjoy it, per se," I said. "It's more of that when his face gets really red, and I mean like really red, he reminds me of Elmo and I find that funny."

"You have a twisted soul, baby, truly twisted," Edward snickered. "Good thing you love me."

"I do, you know?" I said, seriously. "Love you, I mean."

Edward smiled and brought his hand up to my cheek. "I love you, too."

—MF—

Edward and I hid out in his room until it was time to go pick up the boys. Honestly, I was hiding away from my father, Esme, Carlisle, and everyone else. I wasn't stupid. The moment they heard about Renee dying, they would have rushed right over to offer their support. I appreciated it — I really did — but Renee stopped being my mother the day she told me to abort my son because he'd be better off dead than having me as his mother. There were just some things I couldn't forgive and that was one of them. Add in the fact that I believed her to be responsible for the destruction of our house, and I wouldn't be mourning her anytime soon.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked, closing his laptop and looking over at me.

Saving the document I was working on, I did as he did and closed my laptop. "As ready as I will ever be." Standing up, I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my keys. "You can stay here if you want. I don't mind."

"Nah, I need some fresh air," Edward said, shrugging his shoulders. But of course, I knew him better than that. He still wasn't sure I was okay and wanted to be there in case I had a breakdown. _Silly man_, I thought.

"Great," I told him, smiling.

Just like I knew they would be Charlie, Esme, and Carlisle were sitting in the living room, whispering amongst themselves when we came down. With the way their eyes shifted over to me, I knew they'd been talking about me and my complete lack of emotions when it came to Renee. They just didn't understand how much she'd hurt me when she doubted my ability to love my son. She'd never been there for me as a child, and I certainly wasn't going to make the same mistakes as her.

"Gee, Edward, ever walk into a room and get the feeling like everyone's been talking about you?" I asked, dryly and walked over to the door.

"Only every day for four years," he replied. "But you know they only do it for your own good."

"Hmm, so I've heard," I groused, opening the door and walking out of the house.

Edward followed me out to the car and climbed in behind the wheel while I slid into the passenger seat. Letting my hand graze over my belly, I put on my seatbelt. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. I was fifteen weeks pregnant and we were virtually homeless. Sighing, I looked over at Edward. He'd already pulled out of the driveway and was heading to the school.

"I think we should build a new house," I murmured.

He smiled and looked over at me. "Yeah?"

"Yes. I mean, this would be a chance for us to have our dream house, wouldn't it? We can have it anyway that we want. But I do like the idea of building on a fresh piece of land. I don't know, I just kind of feel like she's tainted the other one."

"Okay, we can put that lot up for sale and start looking for something immediately. In the meantime, do you want to keep looking for a rental house or maybe an apartment?"

"I don't know," I said. "Neither options are particularly attractive, but I don't want to keep living with your parents, either. Besides, they shouldn't have to deal with us."

"They don't mind, but I get your point. We need someplace where we can be a family again."

"Exactly." Turning in my seat, I tried to explain myself. "The boys need us to provide them with stability. It's one of the reasons why we decided to move in together in the first place. Right now, they don't have it. Hell, you and I don't have it. We spend more time locked upstairs in your bedroom then we do anywhere else. And, baby, I love you, but we can't spend every day in bed together."

"Though, it would be fun." Edward laughed. "But I agree with you. So, we'll look for an apartment or house to rent while we build. That shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"Right," I scoffed. "Because all of this has been so easy for us."

"Damn, well, we might as well give up now," Edward snickered.

"You laugh, but look at our stats, babe. Neither one of us have exactly the best luck."

"We found each other, didn't we?" Edward asked, reaching over and holding my hand.

"Yeah, we did." I smiled. "Thanks to the boys. Do you think they knew when they became friends on their first day of school that five years later they'd be brothers and we'd be married?"

"No," Edward laughed, parking in front of the school. "But I don't think that it was just a coincidence that they were placed in Alice's classroom, or that they were drawn to each other like they were."

"You don't?" I asked.

Edward shook his head. "This will probably sound crazy, but I believe that Sarah and Brody led our children to each other, which led to you and I toward finding each other. I think they wanted us to be a family, Bella."

"That's totally something Brody would have done," I chuckled. After five years of marriage, I loved that Edward and I were comfortable enough to be able to talk about Sarah and Brody like this. They'd always be a part of our loves; we saw bits and pieces of them in our sons every day.

"Sarah, too. Anthony is more like her every day," Edward murmured. "Stubborn and pigheaded."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "because you're neither of those things. Keep telling yourself that, Edward."

Edward muttered under his breath that he was neither stubborn nor pigheaded as we climbed out of the car and waited for the bell to ring and dismiss the boys. Rose, Kate, Angela, and Jasper were waiting outside of the doors as always, and based on the tentative looks on their faces, I knew they'd already been told about Renee, too. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes. Was it really so wrong that my mother's death didn't mean a damn thing to me? Besides, she'd never really been a mother to me, anyway.

"How's this little fella doing?" I asked Angela, placing my hand on Jude's back.

Angela smiled proudly. "He's great. Slept through the night for the first time last night. Felt like heaven."

"Oh, I bet," I giggled. "I'm so not looking forward to all those sleepless nights."

"Especially with twins," Angela added.

"Yeah, no kidding," I murmured. "Can I hold him?"

"Of course." Carefully, Angela placed Jude in my arms. The sweet, tiny baby opened his eyes and looked up at me. His lips curled up and he smiled. "Would you look at that? He doesn't smile for just anyone, you know."

"He doesn't?" I asked.

Angela shook her head. "No, he's a quiet baby, doesn't like to be jostled around too much, but he seems to like you."

Bringing my hand around, I slipped a finger into his tiny grasp. Jude's smile grew bigger and tears filled my eyes. The last time I held a baby like this, I'd been on my own, trying to figure out how to be a mother. Through endless nights of pacing and praying that Alex would fall asleep to celebrating each milestone with just my father there to support me, I'd done it alone. Just me, Alex, and Charlie until Edward and Anthony came into our lives.

"Bella, are you okay?" Angela asked, sliding Jude from my arms. It wasn't until then that I realized I'd been crying softly. "Edward, is she okay?"

"She's okay," he whispered, turning me into his arms and holding me. Pulling me away from the group, he stopped when he'd reached the car. "Baby, talk to me."

"She was never there for me, Edward," I wept. "She never got to see Alex take his first steps, or taste his first bite of carrots. Charlie was there. I hate her."

"But," he whispered.

"Why didn't she love me enough to give up her life? Why couldn't she have stayed and taught me how to be a mother? I had to learn it all on my own — all of it. Why wasn't I worth anything to her?"

"I don't know," he murmured. "I wish I did, but I don't. I'm sorry that she wasn't a momma for you, baby."

"I really do hate her," I whimpered.

"Me too," he soothed.

The bell shrilled through the air and I attempted to wipe the moisture off of my cheeks. The last thing I needed would be for the boys to know that I'd been crying. It was bad enough that I'd let my guard down in front of Rose, Angela, Kate, and Jasper, I didn't need my sons to see me like that, too. I was supposed to be the one protecting them, not vice versa. As usual they were the last two out of the building.

"Hey, guys, how was school?" Edward asked, before they could speak.

However, they weren't fooled. Both Alex and Anthony looked over at me as they muttered, "Good."

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, folding his arms in front of him. "You've been crying."

"Hey, let's go get some ice cream and we'll explain," Edward suggested.

Alex and Anthony shared a look before agreeing. I hated that they worried so much about me, especially Alex. He'd already spent too much of his childhood trying to take care of me, rather than letting me be the parent. It wasn't until Edward and Anthony came into the picture that he was able to relax and just enjoy being a kid. The ride to Malcolm's was made in silence. The small parlor had been witness for a lot of our joyful moments, but now, it would be tainted by my mother's death. Shaking my head, I looked out the window. Just one more way that she'd tried to ruin my life.

Solemnly, the four of us climbed out of the car and headed inside. We ordered our treats and settled in our usual booth. The silence was deafening, only broken up by the sounds of the families milling around us.

Sighing, Edward placed his spoon on the table. "You remember that woman that came to the house before the fire?"

"Yeah, the crazy one," Anthony said, shrugging his shoulders. "What about her?"

"Well, she, um, she was your mom's . . ." Edward trailed off, huffing.

"She was my mother," I said, causing the boys to look over at me. "Remember how I told you that she'd left me when I was a little girl?"

"Yes," Alex replied, frowning.

"Well, she came back and I don't know what she wanted." Pausing, I took a deep breath. "And she died this morning."

"Oh." Alex frowned. "And that makes you sad?"

"I — I don't know," I said, shaking my head. "It's really complicated. She wasn't there for me when I needed her."

"Maybe she didn't know how to be," Anthony whispered and I looked over at him. "You and Dad always say that there isn't a handbook on how to be parents, right?"

"Yes," Edward answered.

"Okay, well, maybe she didn't know how to be there for you, Mom." Anthony looked out the window. "Maybe she was scared that she wouldn't be good enough, or something."

"Yeah, maybe," I murmured, reaching over and covering his hand with mine. Anthony turned to me with tears in his eyes. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Just every day," he whispered as a tear fell down his cheek. Anthony brought his shoulder up and brushed it off.

"Good, then I'm doing my job as your momma." Smiling, I turned to Alex. "And yours, too."

"You're so gross, Mom," Alex muttered, trying to hide the way his cheeks turned red.

"Yeah, maybe I am," I giggled. "Now, tell me about school. Anything exciting happen?"

"Nah," he said, snorting. "Pretty much the same boring crap as yesterday."

"No kidding," Anthony scoffed. "Though, at lunch, Elliott mixed his salad, meatloaf, and fruit together and dared me to eat it."

"Did you?" I asked in horror.

"Um, yeah," Anthony said, looking at me like I was crazy. "It was a dare. I couldn't not do it."

"Yeah, Mom," Edward smirked and turned to me, "he couldn't not do it."

"Gee, what was I thinking?" I giggled.

"I don't know, Mom." Anthony sighed. "I just don't know."

After hearing the disgusting details on how Elliott's concoction tasted, we tossed our empty ice cream cups in the trash, climbed back into the car, and headed back to Carlisle and Esme's house.


	16. Chapter 16

**EPOV**

"Son of a bitch," I snarled, stubbing my toe on one of the cardboard boxes filling up our tiny living room. From the kitchen, I heard Bella, Alex, and Anthony laugh, which just irritated me even more. Not them, but the fact that instead of being able to be in our nice, big house, we were stuck inside a cramped, tiny, three-bedroom apartment.

After making the decision to build a new house, Bella and I spent the next two weeks searching for a rental house, only to find the ones that we were willing to live in were overpriced and in horrible neighborhoods. So, we settled on an apartment. It wasn't bad, just smaller than we were used to and not home.

"You okay, baby?" Bella asked.

Looking over my shoulder, finding her leaning against the entry to the kitchen, I scowled and nodded. "Yep, just injured my pinky toe and possibly my pride."

"Aw," she cooed, sliding between the boxes effortlessly and wrapping her arms around my waist. "Want me to kiss your pride and make it all better?"

I groaned, feeling her hands slip under my T-shirt. "I'd rather you kiss another part of my body," I moaned just seconds before the boys came out of the kitchen, "but that's not gonna happen."

Bella giggled and dropped her arms. "Maybe later."

"Are we ready?" Anthony huffed and moved over to the front door. "We're gonna be late."

"Just give me a minute to find my keys," I muttered, searching around the pile of boxes in front of me. Moving the top three, I found my keys and picked them up, swirling them on my finger. "Gotta get my shoes on and then we can go."

"Hurry!" he nearly yelled.

Giving him a look that said 'calm the fuck down' I walked down the short, like very short, hallway and into mine and Bella's bedroom. Though, to be honest, we barely had room for the full-size bed and dresser that filled the room, not to mention the dozen or so boxes piled up in one of the corners. Dropping to my knees, I fished my running shoes out from under the bed and quickly slipped them on.

I headed back into the living room, gesturing for a very annoyed Alex and Anthony to go out. Bella smiled at me, hating our situation as much as I did, but what choice did we have? We couldn't keep living with my parents. I loved them, but they were smothering us. No, Bella, Alex, Anthony, and I needed to be able to be a family in our own place. I just wished we could have found something that was bigger than a shoebox.

I followed the boys and Bella downstairs and out of the building to our parking space. Once we were all inside of the car, I headed toward the boys school, knowing that it would take us an extra ten minutes to get across town. Shifting my eyes over to Bella, I sighed and grabbed her hand, causing her to look over at me. She had her other hand resting on her belly, which was now obviously protruding. I loved how she cradled her belly, almost caressing our unborn twins.

"Do you think they'll let us peak between their legs this time?" I asked, thinking about Bella's last doctor's appointment. We'd hoped to be able to find out the sex of the babies, but they were stubborn and refused to move so that we could tell. Bella blamed me, while I insisted that it was all her.

"Probably not," she laughed, shaking her head.

"It's not fair that we can't come with you," Anthony muttered. "Those are our sisters."

"Or brothers," I amended for at least the eighteenth time. "One or both of them could be boys."

"You're wrong," Alex stated like it was fact. "The babies are girls. We keep telling you, but you refuse to believe us."

I sighed. We'd had this discussion at least ten times over the last three weeks. The boys were adamant that we were having two girls, even going as far as suggesting names for them. Of course, they wanted to name them Mary Jane and May. Their obsession with Spiderman had a lot to do with that and Bella and I both squashed them immediately. Of course, I wouldn't tell Bella this, but secretly, I hoped that the boys were right and we were having twin girls.

"It doesn't matter if their girls or boys; all that we care about is having two healthy babies," Bella said, turning and looking at the boys. "And you're going to school today, so stop trying to get out of it. I swear, going to the ballet is not the end of the world."

"Whatever," Alex snorted as I parked behind Angela. Anna climbed out of the backseat of Angela's car, looking right at Alex. Looking at him through the rearview mirror, I saw his cheeks turn red when he saw her. She was wearing a red, satin party dress. Alex cleared his throat and opened his door. "Maybe it won't be so bad."

Anthony climbed out after him, but based on the scowl on his face, he didn't agree with his brother. Alex walked straight up to Anna, and held out his hand. She smiled and placed hers in his, letting him walk her up to the door. Bella and I shared a look. Yeah, we were going to have to keep a closer eye on those two.

"I wish we could have gone with them," Bella said, wistfully. "I always loved going to the ballet."

"I'll tell you what," I replied, drawing her attention back to me. "How about if I take you?"

"Would you really?" she asked.

I scoffed. "Of course I would. I love you."

Bella smiled and blushed. "I love you, too. And I would love to go."

"Good, I'll see about getting us some tickets. Maybe to see the Nutcracker this Christmas."

"Oh, I haven't seen that since I was a little girl," Bella giggled. "Charlie took me when I was seven. He grumbled, much like Alex and Anthony, but he put on his best suit and bought me the prettiest dress. It was soft pink and it had a long, white satin ribbon. He curled my hair and allowed me to wear clear lip-gloss, which was a huge thing for me. When it was time to leave, he wrapped my hand around his arm and said, "I have the best looking girl on my arm tonight, honey." Bella brought her hand up to her mouth, taking a shaky breath. I could see the tears swimming in her larger, brown eyes. "We had the best time, Edward. It was magical."

"Sounds like it," I murmured, stroking her cheek with the tips of my fingers.

Blowing out a breath of air, Bella blinked several time and to keep her tears from falling. "We'd better go, or we're gonna be late."

"Okay, love," I said, kissing her fingers before placing her hand back on her stomach. "You tell our babies to be nice and let us see if they're boys or girls."

"Yeah, yeah; I'll try," Bella scoffed.

—MF—

Half an hour later, I parked in the lot in front of Bella's doctor's office. Helping my wife out of the car, making sure to grab her ass as I nestled her against me, I led a huffing Bella inside and over to the elevator, where she preceded to glare at me and call me a tease. I smirked, knowing that I was a tease, but it was fair because she spent more time taunting me with her body than should be legal. Especially now that she was really starting to show; I couldn't seem to keep my hands off of her.

"Later, when we're at home, I'm gonna make you pay for copping a feel," Bella purred, pressing her back against the front of my body.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, baby," I murmured, lowering my lips to the outside of her ear. Bella shivered against me. Turning to face me, Bella pressed her palm against my chest and looked up at me from under her lashes. I felt my body quiver and I almost came undone right then and there. She had no clue just how alluring she really was.

"Oh, I always keep my promises," she whispered, seductively. "Always."

I moaned as the doors to the elevator slide open and Bella pulled away from me, laughing under her breath. Resisting the urge to adjust myself, I followed her. Bella checked in with the receptionist before sitting down next to me on one of the many sofas. Placing one hand on her tummy, she laid the other on my knee.

We didn't have to wait more than about five minute before Cora pushed open the door and called out Bella's name. I stood up and offered my wife a hand, which she took gingerly.

"How's everything going?" Cora asked, motioning for Bella to step onto the scale.

Kicking her shoes off, Bella sighed and did as she was asked. I bit back my laughter, knowing how much she hated this part of her visits. "Oh, you know, it's going," Bella replied. "How much did I gain?"

"Four pounds," Cora told her, quickly adding, "But as I've said before: you're going to need to gain more weight with twins than you did with one, and you were already very skinny, Bella. You've only gained twelve pounds in total, so don't fret over it."

"Yeah, yeah; I know," Bella grumbled, "but I don't have to like it."

Cora gestured for Bella to head into the restroom and leave a urine sample, a standard procedure that had Bella blushing every time. I waited outside of the door, and when Bella came out, she reached up and dragged her wet hand across my face, laughing as she said, "Good thing I wash my hands after I pee, isn't it?"

"Ugh, you'd better have," I laughed, swatting her ass as I nudged her toward her usual exam room. Bella laughed and settled on the examination table. Cora came in a couple minutes later and took her temperature and blood pressure, lifting an eyebrow at the reading. However, before I could ask her what it was, Cora said Tia would be right in and closed the door behind her. I turned to Bella, lifting an eyebrow. "Was it just me or did she seem a little concerned about your blood pressure?"

"It wasn't just you," Bella murmured. However, before Bella could say anything else, the door to her room opened and Tia came in.

"Hello," she greeted us, but there was something off. I wasn't sure what, but suddenly, I was very nervous. Placing Bella's chart on the counter, Tia smiled. "So, how's it going?"

"Great," Bella said, smiling. "We just moved into a new apartment."

"And you were good and didn't lift a pretty little finger, yes?" Tia waited expectantly for Bella's reply.

"She tried to help," I told her before Bella could reply, "but I wouldn't let her. Instead, she stood in the middle of the room and directed where she wanted everything."

"Good," Tia chirped, moving over to Bella and pulling out her stethoscope. "I'm just gonna take a quick listen."

"Okay," Bella whispered.

Tia listened to Bella's heart and lungs, asking her to take several deeps breaths. Though, this was her fourth appointment with Tia since finding out that she was pregnant, I still felt awkward being in here with her. Sarah had never been comfortable with me being at her appointments, and even after the doctor found the heart defect, Sarah tried to stay positive, stating over and over that everything was going to be okay. I so badly wanted to believe her, but by the end, she was so weak, so vulnerable.

"Go ahead and lay back," Tia said, placing her hand on Bella's back and helping her back onto the table.

I was at Bella's side in a heartbeat, grabbing her hand. Tia smiled, but didn't say anything as she pulled Bella's shirt up, displaying her protruding belly. While Tia felt around on Bella's stomach, checking the placements of the babies, I kept my eyes on my wife's. Tia pulled out a measuring tape and measured the size of Bella's belly, causing my wife to groan.

"How big?" Bella asked.

"About twenty-two inches," Tia chirped. "Perfect for twenty weeks."

"Then why do you look nervous?" Bella inquired.

Tia pursed her lips together as she tossed the measuring tape onto the counter. "Your blood pressure is high."

"How high?" I asked.

"155 over 96," Tia replied. I didn't know much about blood pressure, but I knew that was too high. "Now, before you freak out, that doesn't mean there's something wrong. You're carrying twins, and with the strain of a double pregnancy, the move, the fire, and everything, it's not unexpected, but I'd like to redo your pressure before you leave and see if it comes down. If it doesn't, then we're gonna have to talk about what to do."

"Like what?" Bella sat up, placing her hand on her belly.

"Like bed rest for a few days and constant monitoring," Tia explained. Sighing, Tia placed her hand on her hip. "Look, let's just see what the new reading is and then we will decide on what to do, okay?"

"Okay," Bella replied, tightening her grip on my hand.

"Good, now, let's take a look at your babies." Tia smiled as she pulled the ultrasound machine over to Bella. I moved over and flipped off the lights, earning me a nod from Tia. She turned on the machine while Bella lay back on the table. Tia squirted some gel on Bella's stomach, who giggled from the cold. You'd think she'd be used to it by now, but every time she felt it. After a few moments of moving the wand around on Bella's stomach, Tia shifted her eyes over to us. "Still want to know the sex of the babies?"

"Yes," we nearly yelled together.

Tia laughed. "Okay, okay." She turned the monitors toward us and said, "Say hello to your . . . daughters."

Bella gasped, bringing her free hand up to her lips as her eyes filled up with tears. "Girls? We're having girls?"

"Yes, you're having two healthy-looking little girls," Tia confirmed, printing us off a dozen pictures. "Okay, I'm gonna give you two a few minutes to absorb this and then I am going to check your blood pressure again."

"Alright," I said, quietly.

Tia turned on the lights on the way out of the room and I cleaned Bella's belly off, helping her sit up again. Slipping onto the table behind her, I wrapped my arm around her waist and leaned my chin on her shoulder so that I could see the photos in her hand.

"You know, the boys are never going to allow us to live this down," I mused, laughing softly. "It's bad enough they knew we were having twins, now they were right about the babies being girls."

Bella smiled. "Do you think Sarah and Brody told them?"

Pressing my lips against her shoulder, I whispered, "I'm sure of it. They seem to be one step ahead of us at all times."

"They really do," Bella murmured.

A few minutes later, Tia came in and rechecked Bella's blood pressure. It'd gone done to 142 over 84, but Tia still wasn't happy with it. She gave me a prescription for a digital blood pressure meter and ordered me to check her every morning and every night, and any other time that I felt she needed to be checked. As if that wasn't enough, she instructed Bella to bed rest if her blood pressure went any higher. Bella scowled, but didn't say anything.

"I know it's not fun, Bella, but your daughters need you to take care of them," Tia said, handing me her instructions.

"Yeah, I know," Bella mumbled, placing her hand on her tummy.

I set up Bella's next appointment before we headed back down to the car. Stopping at the pharmacy to pick up the blood pressure meter first, Bella and I picked up some lunch and then headed home. Though, she didn't say much, I could tell that Bella was just as worried as I was. Together, we headed up to our apartment and settled in the living room with our burgers and fries.

"Do you think the babies are going to be okay?" Bella asked, a tremor lacing each word. Shifting her eyes up to mine, I saw the tears swimming in them.

"Oh, honey, the girls," I smiled, "are going to be perfect."

"I still can't believe that we're going to have girls," she giggled, ignoring the tear that slipped down her face.

"Me either," I murmured, wiping it off her cheek. "I love you, Bella."

Bella leaned forward and kissed me softly. "I love you, too."


	17. Chapter 17

**BPOV**

"Mom, Mom!" Alex yelled, running into mine and Edward's bedroom and jumping on the bed. I just barely had time to move my laptop before he fell on my legs, causing me to wince. Alex may be skinny, but he had boney elbows and sharp hips.

"Dude, be careful!" I groused. "You could have broken my laptop, and then you would have had to face my wrath."

Alex frowned. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"It's fine," I replied, shifting up on my pillows. "What's up?"

"Oh, we got our report cards." Alex was nearly beaming as he shoved the manila envelope with his name scrawled across the top into my hands. Anthony stopped in the doorway, holding his in front of him with a scowl on his face. This was always such a difficult time for him. Alex excelled at school without much effort, while Anthony struggled to get the grades he earned. Neither Edward nor I cared about the grade, just the effort behind them.

"Hey, come here," I said, reaching for Anthony. Sighing, he came over and climbed on the bed next to me, tossing his report card in my lap. "Why the frown?"

"I didn't do very well," he muttered.

"Math again?" I asked, causing him to nod. "Did you try as hard as you could? Ask for help when you didn't understand something?"

"Yeah," he jibed.

"Then no matter what the grade shows, Dad and I will be proud of you."

"Yeah, I know," he muttered.

I opened Alex's report card first, knowing that he'd huff about him being here first. As usual, Alex had all A's. He always did and took great pride in his grades. Leaning forward, I hugged him.

"Great job, Alex. I'm very proud of you!" I cheered, ignoring the grimace that spread over his face when I kissed his cheek, though he didn't wipe it off.

"Thanks, Mom," he replied. "Open Anthony's."

"Okay." I winked at Anthony, who was still scowling.

Lifting it up, I opened it and pulled the paper out. Unfolding it, I smiled and looked over at him. "Anthony Cullen, you little stinker! You pulled your math grade up from a C to a B? That's amazing!"

"Thanks," he laughed. "Did you believe me about doing badly?"

"I did," I quipped, pretending to be pissed with him. However, Anthony rolled his eyes, telling me that he didn't buy it for a minute. "Hey, on a serious note; I'm very proud of you, Anthony. You've really been struggling with math and have worked so hard."

"Thanks, Mom." Anthony smiled and climbed off the bed, gesturing to Alex. "Come on, let's go get some cookies."

"No more than three," I called after them.

With the way they laughed, I knew they'd ignore me, but seeing as I was stuck in bed still, there wasn't a lot I could do about it. It's been a week since Tia placed me on bed rest due to my blood pressure being too high, and while it was down a little, the change hadn't been enough for Tia to release me from my bed. I was trying to have patience, but I hated the way Edward had to pick up my slack with the boys. Of course, he never complained, but that was just the way my darling husband was.

Just like I knew the boys would, they both bragged about knowing that they were getting twin sisters, even going as far as suggesting that we let them name the girls. Edward and I nixed that immediately, however. Naming our daughters was something that Edward and I would do together.

"Did you tell the boys they could have five cookies?" Edward asked, walking into our room with our laundry basket. He placed it on the bed and started putting our clothes up.

"Of course not," I scoffed. "You know me better than that."

"I do, which is why I told them to only take three," Edward snickered. Once he had all the laundry put up, he dropped the basket onto the floor and climbed on the bed next to me. "How are you feeling?"

"A little sick and tired of this bed," I grumbled. Picking up the boys' report cards, I handed them to him. "Did you see?"

"They showed them to me in the car when I picked them up from school." Edward smiled. "They did good."

"That they did," I agreed, pulling my laptop back onto my lap. "What time is your photo shoot?"

"Five-thirty, which means I really need to get going." Edward sighed. "I don't like leaving you."

"Charlie's coming, right?" I asked. Edward nodded. "So I won't be alone. Plus, those two little knuckleheads in the living room will be here. You have to work, Edward. You can't put your life on hold because I'm having an issue with my blood pressure."

"I know," he muttered, darkly.

Leaning over, I kissed him. "I'm fine, I promise."

"I know," he said, again. "If you feel dizzy or get a headache, you call me."

"I will," I murmured, kissing him again. "I'd tell you not to worry about me, but I know it won't do me any good."

"You're right, it won't." Edward smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Edward changed out of his jeans and T-shirt and into a pair of khaki pants and a white dress shirt. Of course, I ogled him, even though I knew I wouldn't get anything from him. With my blood pressure being too high, Edward had been hesitant to touch me. I understood, I really did, but I was frustrated, too. I yearned for his touch.

Once Edward was dressed, he shoved his wallet into his back pocket, grabbed his cellphone and keys off the dresser, and kissed me before he left me alone in our bedroom. From my place on the bed, I heard him tell the boys to take care of me, and made them swear not to let Charlie get them into trouble. They laughed and promised. If only they realized just how serious their father had been right then.

Less than ten minutes after Edward left, I heard someone knock on the door to our apartment. I pulled the blanket off of my legs so I could go open it, but stopped when I heard Alex yell that he had it. Sighing, I waited and listened as he asked who it was, calling out that it was Charlie. A moment later, I heard the door get opened and the sound of my father's gruff laugh echoing through the apartment. Charlie seemed to forget that we had neighbors — very close neighbors.

"Hey, preggo," Charlie snickered, coming into my bedroom. I rolled my eyes, keeping my attention on my laptop.

"Father," I replied. "Do I need to remind you that the walls aren't very thick?"

"Probably," he laughed, coming over to the bed. He pulled my laptop off of my lap and went to shut it, but I screamed for him to stop. "What?"

"I gotta save my work," I snarled, ripping it out of his hands. Saving my document, I closed it and placed it on the bed next to me, ignoring Charlie when he muttered about me being a drama queen. But, hell, we were talking about several chapters' worth of edits that I'd completed today. If I lost those, I'd probably cry and Charlie did not need to deal with me like that.

"I brought you something to eat," he groused, climbing onto the bed and placing a white, Styrofoam box in my lap.

Opening it, I frowned when I saw the salad. "You brought me rabbit food? Gee, how generous of you. Based on the way you smell, I'm guessing that Sue sent over some of her famous manicotti, didn't she?"

"Yes, but —"

"But nothing," I whined, pushing the salad on the bed. "I don't want a salad, I want some of that!"

"Bella, sweetheart, you have to eat healthy," Charlie mumbled. "The babies —"

"Daddy, I don't want a stupid salad," I whimpered. "I want some manicotti."

"Really? You're gonna cry and call me daddy?" Charlie scoffed, but climbed off the bed, picked up the salad, and walked out of my room. Two minutes later, he came back in with a plate full of Sue's manicotti.

I smirked as he handed it to me. Picking up my fork, I took a big bite. "Damn, that's good," I muttered with a mouth full of food.

"Bella, gross!" Charlie complained. "I don't need to see your food."

Laughing, I chewed and swallowed my food. "Sorry, Dad."

"Yeah, yeah; whatever." Charlie climbed on the bed and leaned against the headboard while I ate. It wasn't until he placed a brown, leather journal on the bed next to me that I even realized that he'd been holding anything else.

"What's that?" I asked before taking another bite.

"Um, well," Charlie stammered. I'd never seen him this nervous about something, which automatically put me on edge.

"Dad?" I pressed.

"I — it's one of Renee's journals," he whispered. For a moment, I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly, but then he added, "I went down to the motel she'd been staying at and cleared out her shit. Anyway, I found this one and about twenty more in a box. And, well, I don't know if you'd want to read them, but . . ."

I sat there on my bed, staring at the brown, leather journal that belonged to my mother. Could I read it? Did I even want to? She hadn't been anything more than a thorn in my side since the day she decided I wasn't worth staying around for. Why should I care what she wrote in her journals?

"Honey?" At the sound of Charlie's voice, I released the breath I'd been holding and looked over at him. "I know you don't need this stress right now, but I just didn't feel like it was my choice to say one way or another, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," I murmured. My hand shook as I reached down and picked it up. "Have you read it?"

"I did," he admitted.

Nodding, I asked, "Did it help you understand why she left?"

"No," Charlie said. "But I'll never understand how she could leave you, honey."

Blowing out a heavy breath, I let it fall from my fingers. "Yeah, me either. Dad, I don't know that I can read them. She hurt me so many times."

"I know, but like I said, it wasn't my choice to make," Charlie told me. "I'll leave them and if, or when, you're ready, you'll have them. Okay?"

"I guess," I groused. "Did you find anything else?"

Charlie nodded. "There were some pictures of you, one of Alex. Also, I found a card for a lawyer down in Arizona that handles estates. I've left him a message about her passing. Um, that was about it, I guess."

"I don't want to hate her," I whispered. "She's my mother, and I'm supposed to love her, but I don't, Dad. She left me too many times."

"Nobody is expecting you to love her, Bella." Charlie shook his head. "Renee made a lot of mistakes in her life, some that I will never be able to forgive."

"She did," I agreed.

"But I can't hate her." Charlie smiled when I looked over at him. "She did give me you, after all."

"Aw, that's so sweet, Dad," I snickered. "And cheesy."

"I'm trying to be nice!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up.

"Oh, calm down, you big baby," I teased. "I'm just kidding."

"You shouldn't tease me like that, Bells," he complained. "I'm an old man. You're supposed to respect your elders."

"Um, yeah, okay," I scoffed. "You may be old, Dad, but you're not exactly an elder."

"Yeah, I am," he laughed. "Hell, most days I wake up and it takes me five minutes to be able to get out bed with the way my joints and shit ache."

"Grandpa, you said a bad word," Alex tittered, as he and Anthony came into my room. Anthony was holding a bottle of water while Alex had my bottle of prenatal vitamins. Alex thrust the bottle at me. "Here. Dad said to make sure you took one after you had dinner."

"I bet he did," I grumbled, opening it and dumping one in my hand. Taking the water from Anthony, I ignored the snicker from Charlie as I took it. Yeah, it was real funny that my sons were parenting me like this; funny to everyone else. I didn't find it nearly as amusing. "There, I took it. Happy?"

"Yep," Alex and Anthony chirped together.

I frowned. "Do you have homework?"

"Nope," Alex said. "We don't have school tomorrow because of a teacher-work day, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," I mumbled, aware that Charlie was laughing at my forgetfulness. "Did you eat?"

"Yes, ma'am," Anthony said, causing me to raise an eyebrow. First, he spoke a little too quickly. Second, Anthony wasn't usually a 'ma'am' kind of kid. "We did!"

"All of it?" I asked. Based on the way Anthony dropped his eyes from mine, I knew that he hadn't. "Anthony?"

"I ate almost all of it," he grumbled.

"How much is almost all of it?" I asked.

"Like . . . about half," he mumbled under his breath. I sighed. "Mom, I tried it, I really did, but I don't like it!"

"Bring me your plate," I said. Anthony opened his mouth to complain, but then shut it and turned, walking out of my room. He came back a couple of minutes later with his plate. Nearly three-quarters of it was covered in manicotti. Sighing, I lifted my eyes up to his. "Yeah, almost half, alright."

"Sorry," he muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I just don't like it."

"Then that's all you had to say," I explained. "I've never forced you to do anything more than try something new, Anthony. But I don't like it when I ask you if you've eaten and you lie to me about how much."

"I know. I'm sorry, Mom," he whimpered, shifting his eyes up to mine. I could see the tears swimming in his green eyes.

"It's okay, just don't do it again. Deal?"

Anthony smiled. "Deal."

"Good. Now, go make yourself a sandwich, but no chips. You can have some carrots and an apple or banana, if we have any left," I said.

"Yes, ma'am."

The minute Alex and Anthony walked out of my bedroom, Charlie burst out laughing. "Oh, man, that kid is good. I would have believed him."

"Yeah, well, you're a sucker," I snickered. "Now go take care of my children so I can work."

"Yes, boss lady," Charlie teased, but climbed off the bed and walked out of my bedroom.

Grabbing my laptop, I opened it but before I could get back into my document, the brown leather journal caught my attention. Tentatively, I picked it up and let the pages brush across my thumbs. Sighing, I tossed it back onto the bed and went back to editing my book for Caius' charity fundraiser. With just over two weeks till the big night, we were under a serious time crunch to get it done and printed.

A few hours later, the boys came in and hugged me goodnight, both of them kissing my cheek before they left. I smiled, knowing that most ten-year-old boys wouldn't still be kissing their mother like that, but my boys were special.

The boys had been in bed for an hour when I heard the door to the apartment open once again and Edward greet Charlie, who'd come in to bother me after the boys went to bed, but one glare from me told him not to bother me while I was working. Instead, he muttered something about watching a ballgame and backtracked into the living room.

"I'm leaving now, preggo," Charlie said, leaning against the doorframe to my bedroom.

"Thanks for coming over, Dad," I said with a smile.

"Anything for you, Bells," he replied, before pushing off the doorframe and walking away. A moment later, I heard the door to the apartment close. Edward came into our room a minute later with my blood pressure cuff.

"Hey, how was the shoot?" I asked, trying very hard not to groan when Edward sat on the bed, sliding the cuff onto my arm.

"It was good." Edward smiled and pressed the blue start button. The cuff started tightening around my arm — quite painfully in fact. "I got some great shots of the sun setting over the water, and the surf was . . . amazing tonight."

"Good," I murmured, wincing as the cuff got really tight.

"It'll start loosening soon," Edward murmured. Just like he said, a moment later the pressure started loosening around my arm. With a beep, the meter showed my blood pressure to be 143/82.

"It's better than it has been," I said, trying to be positive.

"Yeah," Edward agreed, tossing the meter on his nightstand and recording the numbers in our log. "But it's still too high."

"I know," I whispered. "I'm never leaving this bed."

Edward laughed, though I could hear his nerves. "You will sooner or later."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, saving my document and closing my laptop. Setting it on the bed, I pushed the journal off the edge of the bed.

"What's that?" Edward asked, moving around and picking it up.

"One of Renee's journals," I replied. Edward cocked an eyebrow at me. "Charlie found it and a few more in her motel room. He thought I might want to read it."

"And did you?" Edward asked.

"No, not yet anyway," I muttered. "Not sure I want to."

Edward nodded and placed it on the dresser. Stripping off his clothes, he pulled on his pajamas and climbed into bed next to me. I moved my laptop to my nightstand before lying back on the bed and rolling so that I was facing him. I could see the worry in his eyes, the fear that I was sick, that I was going to leave him alone like Sarah did. Bringing my hand up to his face, I brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I missed you tonight," I whispered. "Charlie spent most of the evening telling the boys very inappropriate jokes."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Edward sighed. "I missed you, too, but then I always miss you when I'm not here with you."

My cheeks warmed from his attention. "I'm gonna be okay. Me and the girls are gonna be okay."

"I know," he replied, but I knew he wasn't sure. "How's the book coming?"

"Almost done. One more day should do it. Then I can send it back to Tanya, and she can get it to the formatters, and hopefully, we'll have a beautiful bound copy of Healing through Love for the fundraiser."

"Are you nervous about this one?"

I nodded. "Not just because it means dealing with Caius, either. This book was so . . . emotionally charged for me. I don't know; I guess I'm afraid that people will turn away from me because it's not my usual genre."

Edward smiled. "Baby, everything you write is amazing. You'll just gain a new reader base with this one."

"I wish I had your confidence," I giggled.

"I've got enough for both of us," he teased before leaning in and kissing me.

"Oh, what was that for?"

"Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?" he asked.

I smiled. "No and feel free to do it again and again and again."

Edward growled, and placed his hand on my belly. Smiling as the babies pushed against his touch, he whispered, "I never get tired of feeling them like this."

"Me either," I murmured.

After a few minutes the babies stopped moving and Edward rolled onto his back. I scooted closer, laying my head on his shoulder. With a sigh, I drifted to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

**EPOV**

I paced nervously in the living room, ignoring the snickers coming from the boys, who were sitting on the sofa enjoying the fact that I was losing my mind. Lifting my hand, I barely stopped myself from dragging my fingers through my hair. It'd taken me nearly half an hour to get it to lie down and I didn't have time to fix it. Dropping my hand back to my side, I sighed and looked over at the boys. They tried to hide their smirks, but failed miserably.

"Promise me that you'll be good," I said for the fifth time in the last hour.

And for the fifth time in the last hour, the simultaneously rolled their eyes and said, "We promise."

"I swear, Dad, you act like we're heathens or something," Anthony laughed.

"I'm not convinced you're not," I muttered just as someone knocked on the door to our apartment. Glaring at Alex and Anthony, I went over and opened it, finding Angela and Anna standing before me with huge smiles on their faces. "Hey."

"Hello, Mr. Cullen," Anna greeted me.

"It's Edward, Anna," I reminded her and stepped out of the way. "Please come in."

"Thanks, Mr. Cullen," Angela snickered as she and Anna came in. Anna made a beeline for Alex, who'd stood up and hugged her awkwardly. "Oh, Ben's gonna be very tense tonight."

"Um, yeah," I laughed. "Thanks for keeping the boys on such short notice."

"Don't worry about it." Angela waved me off as Anna, Alex, and Anthony came over to us. "We've got movies in the car and Ben was ordering a couple of pizzas. I might have even picked up some ice cream at the store this afternoon." Alex, Anthony, and Anna cheered, causing me to laugh. Angela placed her hand on my shoulder and said, "I have everything under control, Edward. You and Bella need to have fun tonight."

"We will." I shifted my attention over to the boys. "If she tells me that you were brats, I will have to kill you."

"Wow, Dad, kill us?" Alex snorted. "That might be a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"No," I said, seriously.

"Okay, well, we're not ready to die yet, so I guess we won't be brats," Anthony teased.

Angela laughed with them as she ushered the boys out into the hall and toward the stairwell. Closing the door behind them, I turned and walked down the hallway and leaned against the doorway to the bathroom, watching as Bella finished her makeup. I still wasn't sure we should be going tonight, but Bella had insisted that we attend Caius' fundraiser. Bella was twenty-weeks pregnant and had already had too many problems with her blood pressure. But since her blood pressure had come down a little more thanks to two extra weeks in bed without worrying about her book, Tia agreed — though reluctantly.

The first of Renee's journals was sitting on the counter next to her. Though Bella hadn't been able to get the strength or courage to read it yet, she carried it with her every time she climbed out of bed. I wasn't sure she should read it. After all, Renee had done nothing but hurt Bella since she was a little girl, but the decision had to be hers. Renee was her mother and Bella struggled to understand why or how Renee could just leave her. Honestly, so did I. Bella was simply amazing; I couldn't imagine ever having a reason to leave her.

"I'm gonna get a complex if you keep staring at me." Bella smiled and looked over at me. She looked amazing: happy and content. Alice had brought her a simple black cocktail dress that hugged her breasts but then flared over her growing belly. Bella had pulled her hair up on the back of her head, leaving her neck exposed. She looked spectacular. Of course, I always thought she was the most beautiful woman in the room.

"Sorry," I lied. "How are you feeling?"

Bella sighed. "I'm fine. I promise."

Nodding, I didn't say anything else. I smoothed down the front of my black tuxedo and smiled as Bella stepped away from the vanity. "You look beautiful, love."

A delicious blush crept over her cheeks, and I stifled my moan. After five years of marriage, I still never got used to seeing the way her body responded to me.

"Thank you," Bella murmured, coming over to me and placing her hand on my chest. "You look sexy as fuck, baby. If we didn't have this fundraiser, I'd totally fuck your brains out right now."

"We don't have to go," I suggested, raising an eyebrow. Just as I knew she would, Bella sighed and shook her head. "I didn't think so."

"I know you're worried," Bella whispered, "but it's going to be okay. My blood pressure is almost normal and I've been resting all day. Hell, I've been resting for three weeks, Edward. Let's just have fun tonight. Please?"

"We will," I murmured, kissing her. "And I'm sorry if I'm worrying too much. I can't help it."

Bella smiled. "I know, that's why I'm here to tell you to stop."

"As long as you're here, baby, you can say whatever you want to me," I replied, quietly.

Wrapping her arm around mine, Bella and I stopped in the living room so she could pick up her clutch and sheer, black wrap. Making sure the door was locked behind us, Bella and I headed down to our car. I tightened my hold on Bella as we took the stairs, not wanting her to fall. Just the thought of her falling down the stairs while pregnant had me cringing.

Once we were down the stairs, I helped Bella into the car and ran around to the driver's side. Turning the heater on and making sure she was warm; I pulled out of our parking space and headed downtown to the convention center.

I could tell Bella was nervous about tonight. She'd worked very hard to get her book written, and with the fire causing her to nearly have to start over, she'd been so stressed. None of which helped her blood pressure at all, of course. To add to the stress already sitting on her shoulders, Caius was going to be there. While Bella understood that it wasn't his fault that a part of her book had been leaked, it was still hard for her to trust him not to hurt her again. All I could think about was how all of this stress was affecting her and the babies.

"Loosen up that grip, baby," Bella giggled, reaching over and placing her hand on top of mine. "You're gonna have a stroke if you don't relax."

"I'm trying." Huffing, I sighed. "I'm worried. I know you're gonna tell me not to, but I can't help it, Bella."

"Edward, I know," Bella replied. "Trust me, I've been scared, too, but I have faith that Brody and Sarah are watching over us. Hell, Edward, they've been here every step of the way, haven't they?"

I smiled. "That they have."

I pulled up in front of the convention center and shifted into park. "Promise me again that if you get tired or start to feel bad, that we'll leave."

Bella smiled. "I promise to tell you if I start to feel bad or get too tired and you can whisk me back home and pamper me all you want."

"Thank you." Climbing out of the car, I rush around as the valet opened Bella's door. I held my hand out to her, helping her out before I dropped the keys to our car in the valet's hand. At least Bella wouldn't have to walk across a huge parking lot tonight, that made me feel a little better about coming. Once we were inside, Bella shrugged her wrap off and folded it over her arm.

Sliding my hand across her back, I led Bella into the banquet room, which was easily the size of a football field. There were dozens of tables circled around a large platform where several tables had been set up. On top of the tables were all of the items that had been donated by various people in the community. A few paintings from some of the local galleries, several pieces of jewelry from local jewelers, and on display in the middle table was a copy of Bella's book. Nudging her toward the platform, Bella and I stopped in front of her book.

"Wow," Bella murmured, reaching out and picking up the hardcover. On the cover of the book was a photo of an empty hospital bed, the covers had been thrown back and there was an impression of a person's head in the pillow. "I can't believe it's real."

"It is," I whispered, leaning over and brushing my lips across her cheek. "I'm proud of you."

"For what?" Bella asked, shifting her eyes over to me.

"For so many things, but right now, for giving back," I explained.

"Oh, it was nothing," Bella grumbled, dropping her eyes away from mine.

"It was more than nothing." At the sound of Caius' voice, Bella tensed up. Turning, we found him standing behind us, looking just as nervous as Bella did. "You look beautiful, Isabella."

"Thank you," Bella replied, tensely.

"Isabella, I can't thank you enough for agreeing to donate your book," Caius mumbled, clearly unsure on if he should talk to her or not. Bella had made her feelings toward the man clear over the last few years. "My son . . . well, he was a lover of literature. One of the reasons I opened my store in the first place. Nathan believed that there was a story inside everyone that needed to be told." Caius reached out and pulled Bella's book out of her hands. Dragging his fingers over the cover, he whispered thickly, "I miss him — every day I miss him."

Bella stepped away from me, reaching out and curling her fingers around Caius'. He shifted his blue eyes up to hers with tears swimming in them. Nathan had only been fifteen when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. For three years Nathan fought against the cancer that was killing him. Of course, neither Bella nor I had ever met him, but Caius had told us about his son. Nathan was the reason Bella had started her book Healing through Love in the first place.

We'd just gotten home from a book signing for her first book in the Sayar Island Series when Bella lay down on our bed and began crying. Of course, I'd been concerned and asked her what was wrong. After composing herself, Bella said that Caius had told her about Nathan, about how much he would have loved Bella's book. I held my wife while she cried into my shirt for a boy she'd never met. When I woke up the next morning, Bella was in front of her computer drafting the first chapter of Healing through Love.

"He would be proud of you," Bella whispered, stepping closer to Caius. "For trying to help other children like this, Nathan would have been proud of you."

"You think so?" Caius asked, trying to keep his tears from falling.

Bella nodded. "He would have wanted you to keep fighting for him, to tell his story in hopes that it helps someone."

"Isabella, I am so sorry for betraying you. If I'd known . . ." Caius shook his head. "I — I thought she loved me. I've been alone for so long; I guess I just wanted someone to hold again."

"Oh, Caius," Bella whispered. It wasn't a secret that Caius' wife, Nathan's mother, had left after Nathan got sick. She couldn't bear the strain of taking care of a sick child, so she left. "We can't make people love us; we can't make them want to stay." And I knew Bella was talking about Renee, as much as Sasha Romans. Bella reached up and wiped the tears off of Caius' face. "I forgive you, if that's what you need to hear."

"You do?" he asked, hope filling his eyes.

Bella nodded. "Let's just chalk this up to a moment of stupidity and move on."

"Thank you, Isabella." Caius leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Just thank you."

"You're welcome," she murmured, blushing. I bit back a moan; the color flooding her cheeks added to her beauty. "Now, go enjoy your party."

"I will," Caius laughed, looking from her to me and back. "And congratulations on your pregnancy."

"Thanks," I said, quietly.

Placing Bella's book back on the table, Caius left us. Bella and I made our way to our table, and sat down. A few minutes later, one of the waiters who'd been milling around with trays of champagne brought us both two glasses of sparkling cider, compliments of Caius. Taking a sip of mine, I looked around the room. The tables had been covered in dark blue and ivory tablecloths. Hundreds of twinkling lights and flickering candlelight filled the room, giving off a serene and calm feeling. With the addition of soft, classical music, it was easy to get lost and forget that the ugliness of childhood cancer.

"There you are." Bella and I looked over our shoulders finding Charlie and Sue standing there. "Took us forever to find our table."

"Did you look at the seating chart just outside of the doors?" Bella asked, lifting an eyebrow in her father's direction. Charlie opened his mouth, but then snapped it shut as he shook his head. "Didn't think so."

"How was I supposed to know!" he exclaimed, ushering Sue into her seat before taking his.

"Um, how about the large sign on top that said seating chart," Bella snickered.

Charlie groaned. "Don't make fun of me; I'm special."

"That you are, Dad," Bella giggled.

"Hello, everyone," Esme chimed as she and Carlisle joined us. "Bella, we stopped by and looked at your book. Sweetheart, it's amazing. Just the summary brought me to tears."

"Oh, Esme," Bella whimpered. "Thank you."

"We're all so proud of you, sweetheart," Esme murmured, reaching across me and grabbing my wife's hand.

"Thank you," Bella murmured. "Just glad I could help."

"Damn it, I hope they serve the food soon," Charlie grumbled, breaking through the tender moment Bella and Esme were having. "I'm starving!"

We all laughed. Bella shook her head. "Oh, Dad. Have some patience, dinner will be served soon I'm sure."

"I hope so," Charlie groused.

Bella laughed and looked over at me. It wasn't until she brought her hand up to my face and leaned in to press her lips against mine that I realized I'd been staring at her with smile on my face. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," I echoed back.

—MF—

A few minutes later, Charlie's wish came true and the food was brought out, placed in front of us. Grilled lemon chicken, steamed broccoli, and a baked potato caused Charlie to moan and fall back in his seat. The look of contentment on his face caused another round of laughter to erupt around us, but Charlie didn't seem to mind. He was too focused on his food.

Bella managed to eat about half of her food before pushing her plate away. Sliding my arm around her shoulder, I leaned over and whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied, and we both knew it. I simply stared at her, waiting for her to tell me the truth. Sighing, she said, "I'm just a little nauseous, but I'm fine."

"I knew we shouldn't have come," I groused, dropping my attention to the uneaten food on her plate.

Bella turned in her seat, bringing her hands up to my face. "Edward, look at me." I shifted my eyes up to hers. "I am fine. You have to stop worrying about me or you're going to be the one that's sick. Please, just relax."

"I can't," I whispered, knowing that Charlie, Sue, Carlisle, and Esme could hear every word I said, but right now, I didn't care. "If something happens to you or the babies . . ." I swallowed against the lump in my throat. "I wouldn't be able to survive again, Bella. I couldn't."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, or our daughters," Bella murmured, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. "I'm sure my stomach is upset because of nerves."

Closing my eyes, I released a shallow breath. "Bella."

"Edward," she cooed, and I opened my eyes. "Please. I promise that I'm okay."

"Bella," I groaned.

"Dance with me," Bella said, standing up. I started to shake my head, but she placed her hands on the sides of my face. "Dance with me, Edward."

Nodding, I stood up and followed her over to the small dance floor. Sliding one arm around her waist, I folded my fingers around her hand. Slowly, we started moving to the music, floating away in a private bubble. Bella brought her fingers up to the back of my head, nestling her fingers in my hair.

"I know you're scared that I'm going to leave you like Sarah did," Bella whispered, and I couldn't deny that she was right. "Every time you leave the house alone, I fight the same fear, Edward. I know how much it hurts to be left alone, but I promise that I am not leaving you."

"You can't make me that promise," I grumbled. "Bella, I love you so much. Just the thought of not having you in my arms every night . . ."

"Baby, in case you haven't noticed in the last five years, I'm a bit of stubborn bitch," Bella said with a smirk. I laughed. "I'm not going to leave you and I can make that promise."

"I'm holding you to it," I murmured, leaning my forehead against hers. "If you do, I'll be so fucking pissed."

"Yeah, yeah," Bella mused. "Now shut up and kiss me."

Not able to resist her, I closed the distance between our lips and kissed her like it was the last time I'd ever feel her lips pressed against mine.


	19. Chapter 19

**BPOV**

"Jesus fuck!" I snarled, slamming the phone down on the bed.

Less than ten seconds later, Edward was in the doorway to our bedroom, a worried look on his face — which wasn't a new look for him. Edward had been on the edge of a nervous breakdown for weeks now, all because my blood pressure decided to be a bitch. Though it still wasn't perfect, it had finally gotten in a more acceptable range and Tia had officially released me from bed rest, but Edward still worried and I knew he would until the babies were born. The only reason I still worked from the bed was that my back hurt less when I did, which just caused Edward to constantly question how I was feeling. Good thing I was in love with the man or else he'd annoy the shit out of me.

"What is it?" he asked.

"That was Claire on the phone," I huffed, thinking of the news our realtor had just shared with me. "The owners of the property over on Timberlake Creek have accepted an offer from another buyer. We're never going to find any land to build the house at this point."

"Fuck," Edward swore, coming over and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Fuck was one of the words I was thinking. Edward and I had been working with the architect designing our house for the last month, and all he and the construction crew he'd found for us were waiting for was the land. The only trouble was, we didn't have any. Edward and I had agreed to sell the lot our old house sat on. While we loved that house and our neighbors, the memories of the fire were too hard to overcome. Plus, the house we wanted to build was too big for that size property. Between the insurance money and the sale of the land, we'd be able to put down a huge chunk of cash toward the new house, which would just make it that much easier to handle a new mortgage.

Unfortunately, we were having a hard time finding the right land. Every time we thought we did, the owners would select a different offer or suddenly jack the price up. At twenty-three weeks pregnant, we were running out of time.

"I guess we keep looking." Edward sighed and looked over at me, a smirk curving upward on his lips. "How are the reviews coming?"

I smiled, thinking about the reaction to my new book. "So far, so good. A few negative ones, talking about how the book was too sad, too angsty, but overall, it's good. Not that I should be paying any attention to them in the first place."

"No, you shouldn't, but you can't help it. You're a review addict," Edward snickered.

"I am, and I admit it, but I just don't want to get help," I agreed with a smirk.

Edward laughed and looked over at the clock on my nightstand. "Baby, we'd better get ready for lunch."

"Okay," I sighed.

Closing my laptop, I climbed off our bed and slipped my shoes on, or tried to. With my belly protruding, I just kind shoved my feet into the shoes and hoped that I was putting them on correctly. Once Edward had his keys and wallet, we grabbed our coats. The living room of our apartment looked like the North Pole had exploded. We had two weeks until Christmas and the boys, and Edward, had gotten into the holiday spirit by decorating. A small tree stood in front of the front window, and four stockings had been pinned to the wall. With the addition of bright lights and greenery that hung around the room, there was no way to deny that Christmas was here. I just wished we weren't stuck in a crowded apartment.

Sighing, we headed down to the car, and off to Sue's to meet Carlisle and Esme for lunch. They'd called the day before and asked if we'd meet them, saying they had something important to discuss with us. Neither of us were sure what that could be, but with Carlisle and Esme, it could be just about anything. They'd both, along with Charlie and Sue, been very worried about us since we moved out of their house and into our apartment. Personally, I didn't think they liked the idea of us living in the neighborhood we did — neither did I, but until we could get our house built, we didn't have a choice.

"Um, Bella, are you coming?" At the chuckle in Edward's question, I shook my head and looked around. We were already at Sue's Diner and he was standing outside of the car with a smirk on his lips.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," I muttered, feeling my cheeks turn bright red as I fumbled to open the door.

"Hang on," Edward said, closing his door and rushing to my side. He opened my door for me and held out his hand. "Let me help."

"Why, thank you," I giggled, placing my hand in his. With my other hand resting on my belly, Edward and I headed inside, finding not only Carlisle and Esme waiting for us, but Charlie, too. Sue was sitting next to my father and all four of them looked suspicious.

"Hey, sis." I looked over and saw Seth coming out of the kitchen. As an only child, I'd enjoyed getting to know my brother and sister better. "It's about time you got your ass in here."

"Sorry, Seth," I laughed. He came around the counter and hugged me while Edward went over to our parents. "How's it going?"

"Oh, you know," he said, offhandedly, but I saw the way his cheeks darkened.

"Someone has a secret," I teased, raising an eyebrow at him. "Tell me."

"Well . . ." Seth smiled. "I might have met someone."

I gasped. "Who?"

"This amazing guy," Seth gushed. When his mom started dating my dad, Seth had been very reluctant to talk about himself. It turned out that he was gay and not sure on how I would take it, especially when it came to Alex knowing. I didn't care one way or the other; I just wanted Seth to fall in love with someone amazing — the way I fell in love with Edward.

"And?" I prompted. "You have to give me more than just some amazing guy."

"It's new and different. I don't want to jinx it, but he's just really incredible, Bella," Seth murmured.

"Good. When do I get to meet him?" I asked.

Seth groaned. "Well, if you're nice, he might be there for Christmas. Maybe. It depends on how you, Mom, and Leah behave. You three might scare him off."

I laughed. "Oh, Seth, it's not me, Sue, or Leah, you have to worry about. Charlie's the one who will make or break your relationship. He's a hard ass when it comes to his kids dating."

"So true." Seth sighed, shifting our attention to where Carlisle, Esme, Charlie, Sue, and, now, Edward were sitting. "You'd better get over there. Tea or lemonade?"

"Tea for me, Coke for Edward," I replied.

"I'll have them right out."

I walked over and joined everyone, groaning at the way Esme and Sue's hands automatically when to my stomach. It wasn't that I minded them talking to the babies, but they could have at least greeted me first. Once they were done, I took the chair next to Edward. Seth brought us our drinks and took our order, ignoring the way Edward scowled when I ordered a cheeseburger. Yeah, it was unhealthy, but it sounded damn good. Seth shot me a wink before he walked back into the kitchen, leaving Edward and I alone with the parents.

"So," Edward said, nodding his head. "Are you gonna tell us why you wanted us to meet you for lunch or would you like us to guess?"

"I vote for taking a guess," Charlie quipped. Sue, Carlisle, and Esme laughed, while Edward and I rolled our eyes. "I swear, you two act like we're about to strip naked in front of you or something."

"Ew," I whined while Edward made this gagging sound. "Dad!"

Carlisle, Esme, and Sue laughed with my father, who looked proud that he'd just made me vomit in my mouth. Picking up my glass of ice tea, I took a large drink, trying to get the taste of my breakfast out of my mouth. I swear the old man said shit like that just to gross me out.

"Did you see the looks on their faces?" Charlie snickered, reaching across the table and high-fiving Carlisle, which alone was enough to make me want to leave. They were old; they're not to be high-fiving anyone.

"Priceless," Carlisle gasped, trying to breathe between peals of laughter.

Sighing, I waited until they were done, before speaking. "We don't have all day, you know. The boys will be mighty pissed if we're not there to pick them up from school."

"Oh, sorry," Esme giggled. "Okay, everyone quiet." Carlisle, Sue, and Charlie somehow managed to stifle their laughter, though I could see the strain on all of them. Esme smiled and looked back over at me and Edward — one of her creepy mom smiles. "We have a present for you."

"A present?" Edward asked. "Christmas isn't for two more weeks."

"Yes, well, this isn't a Christmas present," she chirped nonchalantly.

"Um, okay," I said, waiting for them to give us the presents. Yet, the four of them just sat there, smiling. "Are we supposed to guess what it is?"

"Oh, yeah." Esme laughed again as she reached into her purse and pulled out a long, white envelope. She slid it across the table, leaving it in front of me and Edward, who reached out and picked it up.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Open it and find out, my darling boy," Esme scoffed.

Sighing, Edward turned the envelope over in his hand, peeling the back fold out and pulling out a clump of papers. While he unfolded them, I noticed that Seth had come out of the kitchen and was leaning against the counter, watching us intensely.

"What the fuck?" Edward snapped, causing me to jump when he glared at our parents. "You — you bought the land we were wanting over on Timberlake Creek?"

My mouth fell open. "What?" I asked. Edward handed me the paperwork. Indeed, in my hands was a contract to buy the very land that we'd been looking at to build our house on — the very land Claire told me had been sold out from under us this morning. Taking a deep breath, I looked over at our parents. "What the hell is going on?"

"We bought it for you," Esme said, smiling. "It's your present."

"You bought it for us?" I asked, my tone much softer. "But why would you do that when we were already trying to buy it?"

"Because we wanted to," Charlie scoffed. Turning to face me, his grew serious. "Now, Bella, don't freak out here, but, well, I love you, and we wanted to do something to help."

"First of all, I wouldn't freak out because you love me, dork," I jibed. "Secondly, you don't have the money to buy this land, Dad — not even a part of it. Now, someone had better start explaining just what the hell is going on."

Charlie cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "W — we used the money from Renee's estate to buy the land. She left everything to you, and I handled it all for you, since you were unable to do so."

My eyes flittered to a close as the paper slipped out from between my fingers. "Take it back," I whispered.

"Bella —" Charlie started, but clamped his mouth shut when I brought my hand up to my lips, trying my hardest to muffle my sob.

"Take it back," I cried. "I don't want anything that is connected to her."

"Calm down, baby," Edward whispered, wrapping his arms around me and nestling me into his embrace. "Please, for me, calm down."

"Edward," I whimpered, trying to take a deep breath.

"I told y'all it was a bad idea." I looked over my shoulder at Seth, who reached out and pulled me into his arms. "You should have listened to me."

Without another word, Seth led me through the diner and into the kitchen. I could hear Edward arguing with our parents about the land, but I couldn't handle it right now. What did they think was going to happen when I found out they bought our land with my dead, bitch of a mother's money?

"Sit," Seth ordered, gesturing to a small desk that sat in the back corner of the kitchen. I did as he told me, placing my hands on my belly. Seth moved over to the stove.

"You knew?" I asked.

He nodded. "They told us — all of us — about it last week." Seth looked over his shoulder at me. "For the record, we all told them it was a bad idea. Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Rose, Leah, and I knew this would be the last thing you wanted, but they didn't listen."

"No shit," I muttered, brushing my hair out of my face. "All she ever did was hurt me."

"I know," Seth replied, turning back to the stove.

I waited for him to say more, but he didn't. "She told me to give Alex away," I added. Still nothing. "She told me I'd never be a good mother."

"And you proved her wrong." Seth looked over his shoulder at me. "You want everything on your burger?"

"No onions," I muttered. Seth nodded and turned back to the stove. "Aren't you gonna tell me that I'm being too harsh when it comes to her?"

"Nope." Seth pulled the hamburger patty off the grill and placed it on the bun he had waiting. Grabbing some lettuce, he added it to the burger, followed by some cheese, tomatoes, and a few pickles. "Mayo or mustard?"

"Mustard," I said. Once he'd added the mustard on my burger, he dumped an order of fries on my plate and brought it over to me. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he replied, going back over to the stove.

Picking up a fry, I took a bit off the edge. "I hate her."

"I'd imagine so," Seth said. "She wasn't anyone to you, Bella. Nobody expects you to love her."

"She was my mother," I groused, finishing that fry and grabbing another.

Seth shook his head. "From what I've heard, she wasn't anymore your mother than my dad was my father."

"Your father died, he didn't abandon you," I pointed out.

"True," Seth admitted, placing everyone else's food on the shelf between the kitchen and the front part of the diner. "Ma, food."

A moment later, Sue came over and grabbed their food, throwing me a sad smile before she carried their plates over to the table. Guilt ate at me; I should go back out there, but I just couldn't — not yet. Seth came over and to me, turning an old pickle bucket upside down and sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him. I picked up my burger and took a bite, waiting for him to say something else, but he just sat there, watching me.

Swallowing the mouthful of food I had, I sighed. "Dude, just say it already!"

"Say what?" he laughed. "I'm just watching you eat. I've never seen a girl stuff so much food into her mouth at once."

"Ha-ha, very funny," I grumbled.

"I'm serious," he said.

Shaking my head, I dislodged the tears that had been hanging on the end of my lashes. "She left me, Seth. More than once, she willingly left me. Why wasn't I enough reason to stay?"

"I don't know, Bella," he said. "You're asking the right questions; unfortunately, I don't have those answers for you."

The door to the kitchen opened and I looked over, finding Edward standing there with his own food in his hand. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Are they mad?"

"No," Edward quipped. "Confused on why it would upset us, but not mad."

"I'll just let you two have a few minutes alone," Seth mumbled, standing up. He walked past Edward, who came in and took a seat on the bucket Seth had been sitting on.

"How's your burger?" Edward asked.

"It's good," I murmured. Picking it up, I took a small bite.

"I think we should take the land," Edward said, softly. I tensed up. "Just hear me out, okay?"

"Okay," I grumbled.

"While I don't like the fact that they went about purchasing the land the way they did, they did it with good intentions. Bella, by letting them pay for the land, we could take that money and use it against the cost of building, leaving us with very little left to pay out."

"It makes sense," I agreed. "But, Edward, it's like forgiving her for years of hurt. I can't do that, I just can't do that."

"Nobody's asking you to," he assured me. "Charlie knew you wouldn't accept the money outright, so he, Sue, Carlisle, and Esme thought that buying the land would be the most beneficial to us and the kids. Baby, I think they're right. The contractors could start building as early as next week, which would put us in the house a hell of a lot faster."

I sighed. "I know, but I don't know that I could live on a piece of land bought with her money, Edward."

"If you really don't, I won't push you, but, Bella, I think you should at least think about it."

"Suppose I can do that much," I huffed.

"Good." Edward smiled. "Now finish eating before my mom has a heart attack. She's already convinced that I never feed you."

I laughed because all Edward did anymore was try to shove food into my mouth. "Clearly, she doesn't know you very well."

"Guess not," Edward teased, stealing a fry from my plate.

Edward and I finished eating our food, and then I followed Edward back out front. Seth and Sue were busy helping other customers, but Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme were still sitting at the table. We walked over to them, but didn't sit down.

"We'll think about it, but you really should have talked to us about this before you made that decision," I said.

"You're right, we should have," Carlisle replied. "But we wanted to help, that's all."

"I know, and I'm thankful for that, but it's hard." I sighed and picked up my coat. "Just let me think about it, okay?"

"Okay, sweetheart." Esme reached out and grabbed my hand. "We love you."

"I love you, too, Esme," I whispered, squeezing her hand in return. Shifting my eyes over to Charlie, I added, "You too, old man."

"Stubborn little girl," he grumbled, standing up and walking around to me. Wrapping his arms around me, my father hugged me and whispered, "Think real hard about whether or not you want to live the rest of your life being angry at her. Anger is a dangerous weapon, Bella."

"I will, Daddy," I whimpered, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Love you."

"I love you, too," he murmured.

Edward and I loaded up into the car and headed back to our apartment. Upon walking into our small, danky apartment, I knew that I'd accept the land from our parents — even if I didn't like the fact that Renee's money paid for it. Maybe it was time for her to do something worthwhile for me.


	20. Chapter 20

**EPOV**

It seemed like all I did anymore was wait for Bella. Not that it was her fault, of course. She didn't move as fast these days, the weight of her pregnancy taking its toll on her. Once again, I found myself pacing back and forth in the living room, trying hard not to wrinkle my suit while the boys sat on the couch, laughing at me. Only, tonight Charlie was sitting next to them, getting just as much enjoyment from my nervous pacing as they were.

"Edward, you're going to have a stroke if you don't relax," Charlie tittered.

I snorted. "Tell me something I don't know."

"More Monopoly money is printed in a year, than real money is printed throughout the world." I stopped and looked over at Charlie. "Didn't know that, did you?"

"Nobody but you would know that, Dad," Bella said from behind me.

Turning to look at my wife, I gasped. Standing in the entry way to the hallway in a red, satin dress that clung to her curves like it'd been painted on, Bella looked incredibly beautiful. Her hair had been pulled up, where only a few strands hung around her face. But it was her smile that got me the most. The happiness, the joy radiating off of her, had my heart racing and my knees weakening.

Bella laughed. "Edward, close your mouth."

"Bella," I murmured, taking a deep breath as I walked over to her, sliding my arms around her. "You look amazing."

"Thank you." The warmth that filled her cheeks had me swallowing a moan. "You look very handsome. I love the way you look in a suit."

"Oh, well, thanks," I mumbled, knowing my ears turned bright red.

Bella smiled. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said, kissing her softly.

Bella slipped her hand into mine and looked over at Charlie. "Do we need to go over the rules?"

"No," Charlie replied, dryly. "I'm not a child, preggo. I don't need no stinken rules."

"Using a double negative like that, Dad, makes you sound like a child," Bella teased, picking up her small clutch and black, sheer wrap from next to the door. "Be good, Dad, or else."

"Yes, ma'am." Charlie smirked as he saluted Bella.

Sighing, my wife looked over at our sons. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Like we would," Anthony scoffed. Bella simply raised her eyebrow in a way that made it clear she was serious. "Gees, Mom, okay!"

"Dad, we won't be too late," Bella said, shaking her head. "Do not cook for them, order a pizza or Chinese."

"Just have fun, preggo. Us boys are gonna take it easy tonight," Charlie responded, laying back on the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. With a little nod, he tried to look all cool or whatever, but failed to pull it off. Though I could Bella was reluctant, she followed me out of the apartment and down to our car. Once inside, I headed toward downtown Seattle. Tonight, I was keeping my promise to Bella and taking her to the ballet — to see The Nutcracker, in fact.

The last week had been a hard one for Bella. While she'd agreed that we should accept the land that our parents had bought for us using the money from Renee's estate, she was having a hard time dealing the fact that her dead, lazy, bitch of a mother would be paying for any part of our new house. More than once, she'd wiped a tear from her cheek, trying to be discrete so I wouldn't see, but I did. All Bella had ever wanted from her mother was her love and acceptance, but Bella never got it. Now, she somehow had to put her anger and hurt behind her for the sake of our family.

"Oh, it's so beautiful." Bella gasped as we came upon the convention center. Due to the fact that Christmas was just a week away, downtown Seattle had been transformed into a winter wonderland — minus the snow and ice, thank goodness. Every building that we'd passed had been covered in white twinkling lights, and the convention center wasn't any different. Bella smiled and looked over at me. "In case I forget to tell you, thank you for bringing me to the ballet tonight. I feel like a little girl again."

"You're welcome." I laughed and pulled up in front of the valet. "I'd do anything to make you smile, Bella."

"Anything?" she asked, coyly.

"Yes." And in that moment, I was speaking the truth.

"Kiss me," Bella whispered, breathlessly.

I leaned across the seat and kissed her. Bella smiled against my lips before hers parted and she invited my tongue into her mouth. It wasn't until someone knocked on her window that I remember that the valet was standing outside of the car, waiting for us. Giving Bella a sheepish smile, I winked at her and threw my door open, climbing out.

Meeting Bella at her door, I dropped the keys into the valet's hand and took the ticket he offered. I placed it in my pocket before wrapping my arm around Bella and leading her inside. She was nearly trembling with excitement. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked around, trying to take in as much as she could. Bella was like a child in a toy store and I loved watching her.

I led Bella into the theater and down to our seats, which were about ten rows from the stage. Bella took the inside seat while I took the aisle, sliding my hand into hers. Quiet murmurs from the other people waiting for the show to start flittered around us, the excitement in the room was electrifying.

"Charlie and I sat over there," Bella said, pointing to a row of seats to the right of the stage and about three up from ours. "Just before the ballet started, a man came in and sat in front of me, blocking my view of the stage. I was so worried that I was going to miss everything, but before I could say anything, Charlie scooped me up in his arms and placed me in his lap. He held me through the entire performance." Bella paused and placed a hand on her belly. "It was right after Renee left for the third time, and I remember sitting on the porch and watching as she drove away, not understanding what I'd done wrong again, or the time before, or the time before that."

"You did nothing wrong," I murmured.

Bella blinked several times and exhaled a shaky breath. "I know that now, but at seven years old, all I could think about was how I'd left the peanut butter open that morning when I made my lunch, or if I'd asked for too much help on my homework." Shaking her head, Bella sighed. "I know that my anger isn't healthy for me or the babies, but it's hard to let go."

"Nobody expects you not to be angry at her, Bella," I said. "We just don't want you to let that anger fester to the point that it hurts you or the babies. She wasn't your mother; she hadn't been in a long time."

"Logically, I know that, but it's hard," Bella whimpered, leaning toward me. Her twenty-four week belly pressed against my arm. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't worried about how all of this was affecting her blood pressure. She'd indulged me with extra readings, and right now, she was fine, but it still scared me. "I look at Alex and Anthony and I can't imagine not seeing them every day. I don't know. I guess, I wonder why I wasn't special enough for her to stay."

"Oh, baby," I whispered, sliding my arm around her as she cried. "Renee's decision to leave wasn't because you weren't special enough, but because she was too lost inside her own crap to care about anyone else. She left you with Charlie because she knew that he'd make sure you were okay."

"I know," she murmured, looking up at me from under her lashes. "You know how I love you, don't you? You, the boys, our babies — you're everything I need."

"Of course I do, and I love you, too. Together, with our sons and soon to be with our daughters, we're a family — a perfect family."

Bella leaned up and pressed her lips against mine as the lights began to dim. Squealing, she turned toward the stage, dropping her hand on my knee. I watched in wonderment as her lips parted and a breathless gasp trickled between them. How could anyone, much less Renee, have left her so easily?

—MF—

By the time the ballet had ended, Bella had smiled, cried, laughed, and cheered. When the final curtain lowered and the lights had been turned back up, Bella looked over at me, her eyes swimming with tears; only I knew these were tears of happiness. Reaching over, I brushed a stray one off her cheek and whispered, "Let's go."

Bella nodded and placed her hand in mine. Slowly, we made our way out of the theater. Bella waited inside the lobby while I had the valet bring our car around. With everyone who'd come to the ballet, it'd take a while and I didn't want her to get cold. After almost a half hour, the valet pulled our car up. Bella rushed out to me, placing her hand in mine and allowing me to help her inside. Once I'd tipped the young, male valet, I climbed in behind the wheel and pulled out into traffic.

However, instead of going home, I headed in another direction. Due to traffic, another half hour passed before I parked the car in front of our future home.

"What are we doing here?" Bella asked. But I didn't reply, instead, I climbed out and walked around to her side, opening the door and offering my hand. "Edward?"

"Indulge me," I said, smiling.

Sighing, she placed her hand in mine and allowed me to help her out. I lead her up to where the front door would be. Right now, all the construction crews had done was level the land and marked where to place the sewer lines and such.

"We'll bring our daughters' home here," I said, looking down at her. With the moonlight shining down on us, I saw her lips part once more. Grabbing her hands, I pulled her further onto the property. "Maybe we'll sit on the sofa at first. The boys will sit next to us, each asking to hold one of their sisters. Cautiously, we'll place them in their arms, watching and listening when Alex and Anthony promise to be the best big brothers."

"Edward," Bella whimpered.

"After a few minutes, we'll gather the girls back into our arms," I said, leading her to where the stairs would be, "and we'll take them upstairs, showing them their room. Maybe we'll paint the walls pink, or yellow. We'll get a rocking chair and put it in front of the window so that we can watch the sunrise."

"Yellow," Bella cried, grabbing the front of my shirt. "A soft, butter yellow. Not too bright."

"Perfect," I murmured, sliding my hands to her belly and leaning my forehead against hers. "We'll whisper, "Welcome home, sweet girls." They'll grow and change in this house. The boys, they'll go on first dates, and beg to borrow the car. They'll mow the lawn and paint the garage while complaining that the girls never have to do anything."

Bella smiled.

"Every day, we'll make a new memory," I whispered. "We'll grow old together in this house, Bella."

"We'll love each other in this house," Bella cooed, snuggling against me. Though there wasn't any music playing, I slide my arms around my wife and we started dancing.

"Every moment of every day," I promised. Tilting her head back, I pressed my lips against hers. "Let's go home."

"I thought we were home," she giggled.

"Okay, smart-ass," I laughed. "Let's go back to our temporary home."

"Better," she chimed.

Keeping my arm wrapped around her waist, I led Bella back to the car. Once we were both inside, I drove us back to our apartment. When we walked inside, we found Charlie asleep on the couch, the remote resting on his chest. Bella smiled as she walked over and woke him up.

"Dad?" she murmured, shaking his shoulder. "Dad?"

"What?" Charlie grunted, still half asleep. Opening his eyes, he smiled. "Hey, how was The Nutcracker?"

"Still pretty amazing," Bella giggled.

While she proceeded to fill Charlie in on every detail of the ballet, I went to check on the boys. They were fast asleep, tucked away in their beds. I walked into mine and Bella's bedroom, tugging off my jacket and laying on the bed before loosening my tie. I'd just finished unbuttoning my shirt when Bella came in.

"He claims that all they did tonight was watch television, but I don't know if I believe it." Bella laughed and started pulling the pins out of her hair. Her brown locks fell over her shoulder, caressing her face. Looking up at me from under her lashes again, she asked, "Unzip me?"

"With pleasure," I murmured. Bella turned her back to me and placed my hands on her shoulders, sliding them down her back until I reached the top of the zipper. Pulling it down slowly, I felt Bella trembling. "Cold?"

"No," she whispered, letting the dress pool at her feet before she turned back to face me. With nothing on but a strapless black bra and a pair of black lace panties, she looked so fucking sexy. "You have too many clothes on."

"I do, don't I?" Tearing my shirt down my arms, I let it drop to the floor before pulling my tie off. I moved my hand toward the top of my pants, but Bella swatted my hands away.

"Let me," she purred. Keeping her eyes locked on mine, Bella slowly popped the button and lowered the zipper, letting them fall to my feet. I kicked them off, leaving me in just my boxer-briefs. Biting down on her bottom lip, Bella raked her eyes up and down my body. "Damn, baby, you're sexy as fuck."

"I'm nothing compared to you." Grabbing her hips, I pulled her against me, enjoying the feeling of her belly pressing against me. "Are you too tired?"

Bella shook her head and smiled. "No. Are you?"

"Never," I growled, playfully. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered, bringing her hand up to the back of my head. "Make love to me."

Without replying to her, I led Bella over to our bed, where we spent the night letting our hands and mouths show each other how much we loved each other, how much we needed each other.


	21. Chapter 21

BPOV

"Bella, are you ready?" Edward asked, walking back into our bedroom. I was sitting on the side of our bed, staring at my shoes. "Um, Bella?"

"What?" I looked over at him.

"Are you alright?" he chuckled.

I sighed. "I can't reach my shoes."

"Oh, okay." Edward walked over and picked up my black, fur-lined boots and held them out to me. I took them from him, but just sat there, staring at my feet. Of course with my belly in the way, the only way I could see them was by stretching my legs out in front of me. "Need something else?"

"Yeah," I huffed. "Socks, but the dresser is too far away."

Edward laughed and walked over to the dresser, grabbing me a pair of white socks. Coming back to me, he smiled and asked, "Need help putting them on?"

I bit my lip as I shifted my eyes up to his. "If you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Edward sat down on the bed next to me, bringing my legs up to his lap. I laughed and lay back on my pillows, resting my hands on my belly. "Are you sure you're up to going to my parents? You were up a lot last night."

"It's Christmas," I replied. "We have to go; I already made the cake."

Edward smiled, but I saw the worry in his eyes. "Charlie would understand."

"He would, but the boys wouldn't," I chirped. Edward snorted as he finished putting on my socks. "I promise to take it easy, but I won't take Christmas away from the boys, Edward. Not after everything else they've lost in the last few months."

Edward sighed and looked over at me. "You're to plant your sexy ass on the sofa and let me wait on you."

"Does that mean you're going to be dressed up like a servant boy?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him. "Because that would be hot, baby."

Edward laughed. "No. Emmett and Jasper would never let me live it down, and Esme would take pictures to use as blackmail."

"True," I giggled.

Once Edward had my boots on my feet, he leaned over and kissed my belly, shifting his eyes up to mine and sighed, "Bella."

"I know you're worried, I do, but I'm okay. Just a little tired," I lied. Truth was, I'd been feeling anxious and antsy for the last few days. Along with a dull headache, I'd been having trouble sleeping, which meant I often found myself wandering around the apartment at all hours of the night.

"You've never been a good liar, baby; don't try to be one now," he groused.

I huffed. "Edward, I love you, but you're irritating the fuck out of me. Please, it's Christmas. Can't we just go to your parents and have a good time?"

"We can certainly try," he muttered, sliding out from under my feet and standing up. Turning, he held his hand out to me. "Just don't expect me not to worry. It's what I do."

"I know," I sighed, dramatically, and placed my hand in his.

Edward pulled me to my feet, sliding his arm around my back and bringing the other one up to the side of my face. "I love you."

I smiled and leaned into his touch. "I love you more."

"Not possible," he growled, playfully.

"Is so," I snickered, leaning up and kissing him before he could argue with me.

"Cheater," he grumbled.

Keeping his arm around me, Edward led me out to the living room, where we found the boys waiting for us next to the front door. Alex was holding the chocolate cake I'd been informed to bring, and not just by Charlie, either. No, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper had joined in this year, stating that if the cake wasn't there, I wasn't invited to stay. Good thing I loved all of them. While Alex was making sure the cake would arrive safely, Anthony had his arms full with our gifts to everyone.

"Okay, let's go," Edward said, once he and I had our coats on. The boys had gotten to that age where they refused to wear coats, opting to go with hoodies instead. It bothered me, but I didn't make it an issue. There were just some battles that as a mom, I knew better than to pick, and this was one of them.

"Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?" I muttered, looking around our apartment. It was hard to believe that just a couple of hours ago, the living room had been covered in torn wrapping paper and empty boxes. The boys had been up at the crack of dawn, dragging Edward out of bed and insisting on opening presents. Of course, I'd already been up, something that didn't go unnoticed by Edward.

"We have the cake, the presents, our keys, our cells. I can't think of anything else," Edward replied.

"Hmm, me either," I murmured. Sighing, I shrugged my shoulders. "Okay, let's go."

—MF—

Half an hour later, Edward parked behind Emmett's enormous jeep and turned off the engine. As usual, the boys were out of the car and halfway to the house before we'd even managed to open our doors. At least they paused long enough to take the cake and presents in with them. Edward helped me out of the car, sliding his arm around my waist and leading me up to the front porch.

When we walked inside, we found Emmett sitting on one of the couches, reading the paper, while Charlie and Sue were standing in front of Seth and a tall, russet skinned man with long black hair that had been pulled into a low ponytail on the back of his neck. He had piercing black eyes. I could only assume that he was Seth's new mystery man. Seth shifted his eyes over to me and Edward, and smiled as he pulled away from them and rushed over to me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Hey, sis," he whispered before kissing my cheek.

"Hey," I murmured. When Seth stepped back, I looked around him at the new guy. "Is that who I think it is?"

Seth blushed, his smile somehow growing. "Yep."

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" I giggled.

"Are you going to be nice?" Seth lifted an eyebrow in my direction.

"When have I ever not been nice?" I asked, pointedly.

"Um, when Leah brought Dave to Thanksgiving last year," Seth replied, dryly.

"Oh, yeah, well, he was an ass," I groused, thinking about how it had come out a few weeks later that he'd been sleeping with Leah's best friend and business partner, Emily. Leah had been devastated. She loved Dave, but he clearly didn't feel the same way as her. Shaking my head, I sighed. "Leah working today?"

"Yeah, she volunteered down at the hospital," Seth said, giving me that look. The one that said the last place she wanted to be on Christmas was surrounded by couples. I understood. It wasn't that long ago that I'd found myself feeling that same uneasiness. Of course, I had Alex and Charlie to keep my mind off the fact that I was alone, but she didn't have that.

I nodded and looked over at Seth's man. "Now, either you introduce me to your man, or I'll do it myself."

"Okay, just be nice." Seth winked at me before he led me and Edward over to Charlie, Sue, and the new man, who was fidgeting nervously. "Bella and Edward Cullen, I'd like you to meet Jacob Black, my boyfriend."

"It's nice to meet you both." Jacob offered me his hand, but I waved it off and hugged him. "Um, okay."

"Sorry, they're huggers," Seth laughed.

Smiling, I pulled back and looked up at the tall, man. "It comes with being a Cullen, I guess. I think they put something in the food."

"Well, that makes me want to eat," Jacob teased. "I don't mind hugs, though."

"That's good," Edward chuckled, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me against him. "It's nice to meet you, Jacob."

"You too, Edward. I briefly met your boys as they barreled through the house," Jacob said, folding his arms in front of him. "The red-headed one was saying something about hiding the cake from Charlie."

"That little bugger," Charlie muttered before pushing his way past Seth and storming into the kitchen. Sue, Jacob, and Seth turned and followed.

I laughed. "Oh, those boys are going to get it now."

"Yeah, they are." Edward looked over at me. "Sit."

"Yes, sir," I muttered and went over to the sofa, sitting next to Emmett. "Hey."

"S'up," Emmett said.

I sighed and laid my head back on the couch, resting my hands on my belly. "Tell your brother to calm down before he has a stroke."

"Edward, calm down before you have a stroke," Emmett repeated, laughing. Edward rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. "Why did I just tell him that?"

"Because he won't stop worrying about me," I explained.

Emmett nodded and leaned toward me. "Can I let you in on a little secret, Bella?"

"If this about your underwear, or lack of wearing any, then no," I replied.

Emmett smiled. "It's not. It's about that husband of yours."

"Shoot," I said.

"He's never going to stop worrying about you because you're everything to him. I know it's annoying as fuck, but if he didn't love you so damn much, then he wouldn't be like this," Emmett explained.

I sighed. "I know that, Em, I do, but he's worrying himself sick."

Emmett shook his head. "When Sarah got pregnant with Anthony, they were very happy, planning all sorts of mushy shit. Elliott had just been born and I would watch Edward with my son, it was sweet the way he held him. Then about five months into the pregnancy, Sarah started getting dizzy, she'd sleep all the time, have chest pains. Edward knew immediately that something was wrong. Sarah tried to blow him off, telling him that she was fine, but she wasn't. She fought so hard to be okay for him, but he worried." Emmett sighed. "Give him a break, okay? He's just scared to death of losing you, too."

"Have I ever told you that you're a pretty amazing brother, Em?" I whispered, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Nope," he chuckled. "But I am pretty awesome."

I laughed. "You really are."

Edward came back into the living room, laughing and shaking his head. In his hands were two coffee cups. Sitting on the coffee table in front of me, he held out one of the cups. "Apple cider."

"Oh, yummy," I giggled, taking it from him. "Did Charlie find the cake?"

"Fuck," Emmett swore, scrambling to his feet and rushing into the kitchen. "There had better be some left for me."

Edward laughed. "He did, but Esme insisted on putting in the fridge until after lunch, stating that he had to eat at least three veggies. When I left, she'd dragged Jacob to the table and had started questioning over every aspect of his life."

"Poor Jacob," I mused. "And Seth thought I'd be the hard ass."

"Seth hasn't been around Esme enough, I guess," Edward snickered. He reached out and placed his hand on my knee. "How's the cider?"

I took a small sip, not wanting to burn my tongue. "It's delicious."

"Thought maybe it would help with the headache," Edward commented and I grimaced. "Didn't think I knew about those, did you?"

"No," I admitted. "It's not really that bad."

"Liar," he grumbled, under his breath.

"I am not," I laminated. "It's just a dull ache. I feel more restless than anything else."

"That doesn't make me worry any less," he quipped.

"Nothing is going to make you worry any less." Smiling, I placed my cup on the end table and reached for Edward. He sighed and sat next to me on the sofa. Sliding my hand into his, I said, "I'm not blowing smoke up your ass, Edward. If I felt bad, I would tell you."

"I know you would," he jibed. Leaning his forehead against mine, Edward's eyes fluttered closed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered, closing the distance between our lips.

"Oy, none of that kissy face!" Charlie hollered. I laughed as I pulled my lips away from Edward's and looked over at my father, who walked into the living room with Sue, Jacob, Seth, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and Rose behind him. "That's how babies are made."

"Guess that explains how there are two of them in there then," Anthony snickered as he, Elliott, and Alex came in from the game room. "They kiss all the time."

"And he does mean all the time," Alex added with a grimace.

"No we don't," I scoffed, though when Carlisle and Charlie both lifted an eyebrow in my direction, I knew that they wouldn't believe me. "Whatever. Where's Alice and Jasper?"

"They should be here any minute," Esme said, just as the front door opened. We all looked back to see Jasper, Alice, and Ivy walk in. "Speak of the devils and they shall arrive."

"Did you just call us the devils, Mom?" Alice asked, frowning. "Should I be insulted?"

"Yes, and no," Esme laughed and went over to her daughter, giving her a huge hug. Esme's enthusiasm around the holidays was always inspirational. She'd once told me that the holidays were a time that she remembered how close she'd come to losing everything. A brain tumor had taken the majority of her sight and nearly her life, yet she'd let anger take away her family. I admired her ability to pull herself together and find something to laugh about.

"Gee, thanks, Mom!" Alice said, dryly.

"You know I'm teasing," Esme giggled and knelt down in front of Ivy. "How's my beautiful girl?"

"Tired," Ivy whined. "Daddy woke me up really early this morning so we could open presents."

"It was nine!" Jasper exclaimed when everyone looked over at him. "I hardly call that early."

"Whatever, Daddy," Ivy giggled, hugging Esme.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Esme asked, standing up with the little girl in her arms and waving Alice off when she said Ivy was too big to be held like that.

"Yep," Ivy chirped. "Daddy built me a playhouse for my play room. It's pink and has yellow flowers on it."

"Oh, it sounds very pretty," Esme cooed, kissing her cheek before putting Ivy down. "I'd better go check on lunch and then we can open presents."

"Here, let me help," Sue offered, standing up. Together, Sue and Esme walked into the kitchen.

Sighing, I went to stand up, but stopped when Edward's hand came down to rest on my shoulder. I looked over at him with a frown. "You promised you'd sit."

"I have to potty," I grumbled. "And I'm pretty sure Esme doesn't want me to pee on her sofa."

"No, I really don't," Esme yelled from the kitchen.

Edward huffed and pulled his hand back. "Sorry."

"It's okay." I patted his knee before standing up. I placed my hands on my belly and waddled down the hallway to the restroom. Closing the door behind me, I peed and stood up to wash my hands. However, I got lightheaded and fell back against the wall, sliding down as I passed out.


	22. Chapter 22

**EPOV**

I watched Bella waddle down the hallway to the bathroom, trying very hard to stifle the urge to follow her. She wasn't a child — I knew this — but I'd been so worried about her. Bella put on a brave face, trying to be strong for me and the boys, but she was struggling. More than a few times I'd awoken in the middle of the night only to find myself alone in our bed. I'd found Bella in living room, working on her next book, or in the kitchen, making cookies, pies, cakes, anything to keep her occupied. Bella tried to pretend that she was okay, that nothing was wrong, but I knew her better. I saw the way she rubbed her temples, the look of agony that filled her face, just to be shaken off when she caught me watching.

Sighing, I stood up and walked toward the hallway. However, Emmett stepped in my way, a smarmy grin on his face. Before I could yell at him to move, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the dining room.

"Dude, I know you're worried about her," he started, "but you're driving that woman insane."

I huffed in annoyance. "Don't you think I know that?" I snarled. "Em, she's not feeling good. She thinks she's hiding it, but she doesn't sleep, she has headaches. Though she refuses to allow me to take her blood pressure anymore, I know it's up again."

Emmett's smile dropped. "Oh. She neglected to tell me that part."

"Not surprised," I scoffed. "Bella's trying to be strong for everyone. Especially today. She was up all night last night, but instead of staying home and resting, she insisted we come today because she didn't want to ruin everyone's Christmas."

"So fucking stubborn," Emmett swore under his breath.

I nodded in agreement. "She is. It's still so hard for her to let me take care of her. She feels guilty if I'm the one who takes the boys to school, or God-forbid I should handle dinner for a night."

Emmett laughed. "Yeah, well, I've tasted your cooking, Edward. I can't blame her on that one."

I snorted. "Touché."

"When you get frustrated with her, just remember that she loves you, Edward." Emmett patted me on the shoulder before he walked out of the kitchen, leaving me feeling foolish for worrying so much.

Gripping the back of my neck, I turned and headed toward the bathroom. Irrational or not, Bella had been in there too long for comfort. Stopping outside of the door, I knocked a couple of times, and waited for Bella to say something — anything — but only silence greeted me. Knocking again, I called out to her, "Bella."

Nothing.

Feeling the panic begin to rise inside of me, I grabbed the doorknob and tried to open the door, but Bella had locked it — a habit she'd started about a year ago after Elliott accidently walked in on her.

"Bella!" I yelled, trying to get the door open.

"Edward, why are you yelling?" Esme grumbled, rushing down the hallway to me.

"Bella's not answering me," I muttered before knocking on the door again. "Bella!"

"Sweetheart," Esme called, like Bella was going to reply to her instead of me. However, when she didn't, Esme frowned and looked up at me. "Is she upset about something?"

"No," I whispered and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"For what?" she asked.

But instead of answering her, I stepped back, brought my foot up, and busted the door in. Esme gasped and started gripping at me, but I ignored her. As the door swung open, I felt my heart clench in my chest and my knees buckle. Bella was on the floor, slumped up against the wall.

"BELLA!" I yelled, dropping to my knees and crawling over to her. Sliding her into my lap, I brought my hand up to her face, pushing her hair back. "Baby, wake up."

"Oh, my God," Charlie gasped, sliding to a stop in the doorway of the bathroom. I shifted my eyes up to his, and saw the fear pouring out of his. "What happened?"

"I don't know," I stammered.

Jacob pushed Charlie out of the way and knelt down next to us, grabbing Bella's wrist and lifting it up. Before I could question him, he said, "I'm a paramedic." Then he looked over his shoulder at Seth. "Babe, get my bag out of the trunk of my car."

Seth nodded and took off. I looked back at Jacob, who sighed. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," he muttered. "Charlie, call for an ambulance."

"Okay," Charlie said, digging his cell out of his pocket and making the call.

Seth came back a moment later, carrying a small, black leather medical bag — the same type my father often carried to and from work. Handing it to Jacob, Seth stepped back into the hallway and ran his hand over his face and through his hair. It wasn't a secret how much Seth cared for Bella. She'd accepted him without second thought.

"Dad?" My head snapped up and I saw Alex and Anthony standing in the doorway, their eyes glued to their mother. Alex's lips trembled as he looked from her to me. "Dad?"

"She's okay," I lied, because nothing could be further from the truth right now. "Go into the living room with Uncle Emmett."

"Dad," Alex whimpered.

"Alex, please go with Uncle Em," I begged, while Jacob fitted a blood pressure cuff on Bella's arm.

"Come on, Al," Emmett said, grabbing both Alex and Anthony, who looked stunned, by the shoulder. The boys allowed him to take them into the living room.

Charlie snapped his phone closed and sighed. "The ambulance is on its way."

"Thanks," Jacob muttered, watching the needle on the blood pressure cuff. The meter we had at home was digital, so I didn't know what it meant, but based on the look on Jacob's face, it wasn't good.

"How high?" I asked when he dropped her arm.

"Too high," was Jacob's reply.

"I want the number," I groused.

Jacob shifted his gaze up to mine. "140/102. Has she been having blood pressure problems?"

I nodded. "Yes. Not for a couple of weeks, but she had been put on bed rest at twenty weeks."

"How far along is she now?" he asked, pulling a small pen-light out of his bag and lifting her eyelids.

"Twenty-five weeks," I choked out.

"Has she been complaining about not feeling right?" he asked, dragging a stethoscope out of his bag and placing it in his ears, pressing the other end over her heart.

"No, but she's had a headache all week," I told him. "And she hasn't been sleeping much."

"What the hell is she doing here then?" Charlie roared from the doorway.

I glared at him. "Because she didn't want to ruin Christmas for any of you," I snapped. "Bella can't come unless she brings her cake, right Charlie?"

"I — I was teasing her," he muttered.

"Yeah, well, she didn't want to let you down," I griped. "Any of you down."

"Her heart rate is a little fast, but not by much," Jacob stated, ignoring us. Sighing, he dropped everything back into his bag and looked up at me. "Anything else?"

I sighed, trying to think about the last few days. "I don't know. She's been really . . . antsy, I guess. I thought it was just because of the holiday, but maybe it was more."

"Maybe," Jacob said.

Before he could add anything else, two paramedics came bursting in. They shooed everyone away — everyone but me and Jacob, who quickly filled them in on what had happened and her stats. I felt like an idiot just sitting there with my wife in my arms. They listened to what Jacob said, nodding before loading her onto their stretcher and carrying her out of the house.

I followed as closely as I could, my legs felt like jelly and I struggled to keep my tears at bay. The boys were on their feet the moment they spotted the paramedics. As they cried out and tried to leap forward, Emmett wrapped his arms around them, dragging them to the floor with him.

"Let me go," Alex yelled, fighting against Emmett. "My momma needs me!"

"Mommy!" Anthony cried out, tears pouring from their eyes.

Though it took every ounce of strength I had in me, I turned from Bella and walked over to my sons and knelt down in front of them. Pulling them into my arms, I hugged them and whispered, "Stay here with Uncle Emmett. Momma needs you to be strong for her."

"Dad," Anthony wept, his tears seeping into my skin.

"I know," I cried with him. "I love you. Momma loves you. Just be brave for us."

"We will," Alex whimpered, pulling away and looking me straight in the eye. "She has to be okay, she just has to!"

Unsure of what to say, I kissed both of their heads and stood up. I didn't utter a word to the rest of my family as I rushed outside and to the ambulance. However, before I could climb on, one of the paramedics pushed me back, stating, "There isn't enough room."

"Fuck that," I argued. "She's my wife."

"Edward," Jacob said, grabbing my arm. "Seth and I will take you. Come on."

Knowing I wasn't going to get my way, I nodded and followed Seth and Jacob to their car, sliding into the backseat without a word to either of them. Jacob climbed in behind the wheel and pulled out after the ambulance, following as closely as he could. I sat in the backseat; staring out the window and trying very hard not lose it. I'd found myself in this position before. Sarah had been rushed to the hospital; Sarah had gotten too weak to do anything; Sarah died. Swallowing the bile creeping up my throat, I prayed that God wouldn't be cruel enough to take Bella away from me, too.

—MF—

I was going insane. We'd been at the hospital for almost an hour and I still didn't know how Bella was. Jacob pulled up right behind the ambulance, telling me that they'd park and meet me inside. Garbling out a thank you, I nearly jumped out of the car and flew inside. Tia was already waiting for us. I suspected Charlie or Esme had called her. Even though I wanted to stay with Bella, Tia pushed me in the direction of the waiting room, telling me to give her time to figure out what was going on with Bella.

So now, I was pacing back and forth, while Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, Sue, Seth, and Jacob watched me. Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice had stayed at the house, trying to do what they could to keep the boys occupied. I wanted them here with me, but at the same time, I couldn't ask them to go through this with me, either. Pausing in front of the window, I brought my hand up to my mouth, trying to stifle the scream that had once again bubbled to the top of my tongue. I knew something was wrong, but instead of listening to my instincts, I let Bella tell me that I was silly for worrying.

"I'm a fucking idiot," I muttered to myself.

"No, you're not." I turned to Charlie, who was sitting between Esme and Sue with his elbows on his knees and a grave look on his face. "Edward, you know Bella. She doesn't like being dependent on anyone — never has."

"That doesn't excuse the fact that I neglected to get her the help she needed. I knew something was wrong, I could feel it in my gut."

Charlie sighed and walked over to me. Placing his hand on my shoulder, he shook his head. "Would you have dragged her in here against her will?"

"No, but I should have," I mumbled.

"Maybe, maybe not. We don't know what's wrong. For all we know, she could have just passed out because of her blood pressure."

I shook my head. "It's my job to take care of her, to keep her and the babies safe. I failed, just like I always do."

Charlie opened and closed his mouth, clearly unsure of what to say to me. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and resumed my pacing.

Another half hour passed before Tia came bustling through the set of double doors, looking tired and frustrated. My heart seized and I felt my knees weaken once again as I met her halfway.

"How's Bella?" I asked.

"She's resting," Tia said, placing her hand on my arm and leading me to a couple of empty chairs. "She came to for a few minutes, but then she passed out again."

"What's wrong with her?"

Tia turned her body toward me. "Besides her blood pressure being too high, she's anemic. Her iron level was dangerously low. Those coupled together caused her to pass out."

"Did they cause her headache?" I wondered.

Tia nodded. "I believe so. I'd like to keep her for at least a few days, get her iron levels up and her blood pressure down before we even discuss whether or not to keep her until she delivers or put her on bed rest at home."

I whimpered. "Are the babies okay?"

"The babies are fine. We're monitoring them, and at the first sign of struggle, we'll deliver. But right now, they're better off staying inside of Bella," Tia explained. Blowing out a shaking breath, I placed my elbows on my knees and dropped my face into my hands. Tia laid her hand on my shoulder. "Bella's strong, Edward, and stubborn. If those little girls are anything like her, then they'll be okay."

"I hope so," I muttered. "When can I see her?"

Tia smiled. "Now."

Nodding, I stood up and looked over at my parents, Sue, Charlie, Seth, and Jacob. "Call the boys; make sure they know she's okay. Don't give them any details, but tell them that for now, she's okay."

"On it," Carlisle said, standing up and pulling out his cell.

"Edward," Charlie started, but I held my hand up. I could see the mixture of fear and relief on his face.

"I know, Charlie. Just do me a favor and take care of the boys, okay?" I asked. "I need to know that they'll be in good hands right now."

"You have my word," he said, and I knew I could trust him. Charlie was a good man, who loved his family with his whole heart.

I followed Tia through the back to Bella's room. She was lying on her bed, an IV in her hand and a blood pressure cuff wrapped around her arm. Without a word, Tia left me standing in the doorway. I walked over, grabbing a chair on my way, and settled next to Bella. I reached out and lifted her hand, bringing it up to my lips. With tears sliding down my cheeks, I vowed to be a better husband, a better father, and to make sure that Bella and the girls would be okay.


	23. Chapter 23

**BPOV**

My eyes felt heavy and I still had a dull headache. Around me, the sound of a pair of heartbeats echoed and I tried to lift my hand, but someone tightened their hold on it. I didn't need to open my eyes to know it was Edward; I always knew when he was holding me. Prying my eyelids apart, I lobbed my head to the side and found him sitting next to my hospital bed. I vaguely remembered being in the emergency room, almost like I'd just been dreaming it. Of course I hadn't, that would have made life too easy for me, for Edward, and for our boys.

"Hey," I whispered.

Edward tried not to smile, but the corners of his lips turned upward. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Okay," I lied and knew the minute narrowed his eyes at me that he knew I was fibbing. "Edward —"

"Don't," he muttered, standing up from his seat and sitting on the edge of my bed. "I'm really pissed with you."

"Yeah, I know," I groused, pushing myself up in my bed, which wasn't an easy task to complete with the size of my belly. "How long was I out?"

"Nearly ten hours." Edward shuddered. "You should have told me that you weren't feeling good," he added, just adding to the guilt I was already feeling.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal," I said, not believing the words spouting out of my mouth any more than he did. Edward shook his head and looked away. "Edward, it was just a persistent headache and a few nights of insomnia."

"No, it was more than that," he muttered and looked back at me. "You're blood pressure had spiked — again. You could have had a stroke and . . ." He shook his head. "Then you add on that you're anemic." Edward blinked several times. "Bella, I can't lose you, too. I can't. It'll kill me. The boys need you, our daughters need you. You can't do this to us."

"I'm sorry," I cried, grabbing his hand. "I really didn't think it was a big deal. I swear, I didn't."

"Yeah, I know, but you refused to listen to me about staying home, you refused to tell me how you really felt. Why can't you trust me?" There was no mistaking the hurt in Edward's words.

"Baby, I do trust you," I exclaimed. However, Edward shook his head. "Yes, I do!"

"Then why didn't you tell me about your headaches?" he asked.

"Because I knew you'd worry," I replied, honestly. "Since the day I found out I was pregnant, you've been knot of stress and worry. Then you add in the cold I had, Renee showing up, my blood pressure becoming an issue. I'm so sorry, but I refused to add to the growing pile of stress on your shoulders."

"You're my wife, the mother of my children. Worrying is what I do," Edward said, bringing my hand up to his lips. "You don't have to do it alone this time."

"I know that," I muttered, dropping my gaze from his.

"Do you?" Edward placed his and under my chin, and tilted my head back. "Do you really?"

"Logically I do, but it's hard, Edward. With Alex . . ." I trailed off as my eyes filled with tears. "When I was pregnant with Alex, I didn't have anyone but Charlie who cared about how I was feeling. You know it's hard for me to let that control go."

Edward smiled and nodded. "I do, but I'm not giving you a choice now. If Tia releases you from the hospital, you're going start being honest with me about how you feel, and you're going to let all of us take care of you."

"What do you mean if she releases me?" I sat up straighter. "I am not staying here in the hospital."

"If she says you are, you will," Edward replied.

"Edward —"

Before I could get another word out, the door opened and Alex and Anthony came in with Emmett right behind him. The boys looked over at me, tears filling their eyes and my heart broke. I'd made my sons worry about me, about their sisters. Releasing Edward's hand, I reached for them. Alex and Anthony pulled away from Emmett and ran over to me, nearly pushing Edward off the bed as they climbed up and nestled themselves in my arms. Edward opened his mouth to complain, but one glare from me stopped him. He may have a point about me being a stubborn bitch, but my sons needed me to hold them right now and I wouldn't refuse them.

"Momma, are you okay?" Anthony asked, shifting his eyes up to mine. The look of worry and fear in them had me on the verge of tears again. He'd already lost one mother and now, he was afraid of losing another one.

Brushing his tears off his cheeks, I tried to sound positive as I said, "I'm okay."

"Are you lying again?" Alex groused, refusing to look at me.

"No," I replied. "I am okay. Not great, but okay. I'm sorry I worried you both."

"You wouldn't wake up," Alex whimpered. "Dad kept yelling at you to wake up, but you wouldn't."

Closing my eyes, I hugged them tighter to my body. I'd let my selfishness cause them to worry about me. As it was, both of the of the boys had suffered more loss than they should have to, both of them spent the first five years of their lives being raised by single parents. They'd gravitated toward each other, and Edward and I. Together, we became a family and I'd caused them to cry because I didn't want them to worry about me.

Shaking my head, I sighed. "I'm sorry, guys. I really am, but Daddy's already laid down the law and told me that I have to let you take care of me."

"Yeah, bet that went over well," Anthony scoffed and sat up so that he was facing me.

"No, not really," Edward added, sitting on the edge of my bed, "but she's gonna listen because she knows that she's wrong."

It wasn't until then that I realized Emmett had left. Smiling at my boys, I shrugged my shoulders. "I was, and I'm sorry. I'll do better I promise."

"Yeah, yeah." Alex sighed and sat up. "When are you coming home?"

"I don't know," I told them. "Depends on what the doc says."

"And the doc says that it's gonna be a few days at least." We looked over and saw Tia standing in the doorway of my room with her arms folded in front of her and a frown on her face. "You're lucky your boys are here, Bella, or I'd give you a real piece of my mind."

I huffed. "Everyone's pissed with me, I get it already."

Tia hummed and walked around my bed, pulling up the strip that showed our daughters' heartbeats. "They're strong."

"That's good, right?" I asked, placing my hands on top of the boys. "Means the girls are healthy."

Tia smiled and looked over at me. "It does, but that still doesn't excuse you for not taking better care of yourself, Bella."

I shifted my eyes away from hers.

"Bella," she sighed.

"I know. Everyone has been quick to tell me just how selfish I am," I grumbled, trying to sniff back my tears.

"Boys, go back out to the waiting room with Uncle Emmett," Edward murmured.

"But, Dad!" Anthony whined, but Edward gave him the look that made it clear not to argue with him. "Fine, whatever."

Climbing off of my bed, the boys stalked out of my room and let the door shut behind them. Edward moved over and sat down on the side of my bed, reaching out and taking hold of my hand.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Don't," I whimpered, but tightened my fingers around his. "Just don't."

"I'm sorry if it seems like we're all ganging up on you. We just worried."

Nodding, I said, "I know. Believe me, I know, but I can't change what happened. Everyone . . ."

"Everyone what?" Tia asked.

I used my free hand to brush the tears off my cheeks and looked over at her. "I have two boys to help raise, a husband who is working himself into the ground in order to take care of all of us, we're stuck in an apartment the size of a shoebox because my crazy bitch of a mother may or may not have burnt our house down, and I have no idea if our new house is going to be built in time for us to bring the babies home from the hospital. Tell me how to get rid of all of that worry and I will, because my family is everything to me — everything."

"Baby, you don't need to take care of me," Edward said, pulling my attention to him. "I'm fine."

"You're not any better of a liar than I am, Edward, so don't start now," I quipped. "How many photo shoots have you had to reschedule in the last month? How many nights have you been up till three or four in the morning sorting through proofs, just to get up at six and take the boys to school?"

Edward shifted his gaze away from mine, but didn't answer.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," I added. "You jump my ass because I'm not being honest when you're doing the same thing."

"But I'm not the one carrying two babies," Edward argued.

"Technicality."

"Okay, enough," Tia exclaimed, causing us to look over at her. "This isn't about whose suffering more than the other." She turned toward me. "Bella, I get that you have a lot going on. Losing the house did a number on you, I get that, but you can't ignore your health just so that the people who love you don't worry about you. Am I clear?"

"Yes," I chirped.

Tia spun on her heel and looked over at Edward. "No offense, Edward, but you look like shit."

"Um, offense taken," he grumbled.

"You should have called me the minute you realized that she wasn't feeling good. You saw the signs."

Edward nodded. "I did, but I didn't want to fight with her."

"Yeah, well, we're not going to have that problem anymore," Tia snickered before turning back to me. "Will we?"

"Nope," I mumbled.

"Good," she chirped. "Now, I'd like to monitor you for a few more days before we decided whether or not to keep you until you deliver or let you go home where you will be on strict bed rest until you deliver."

"So, either way I'm gonna be stuck in bed, huh?" I asked.

"Yep." Tia gave me a pitiful smile. "Sorry, honey, but between your blood pressure and your iron levels, I'm not taking any chances."

"Yeah, I know." I lay back on the bed, and sighed.

"I know it's hard, but it's for the best," Tia said, before adding, "I'll be back in the morning to check on you. If you need me, call. Do not be stubborn about this."

"I won't," I replied and rolled my eyes. Tia laughed as she walked around my bed and left me and Edward alone. I shifted my eyes back to him. "You should take the boys home."

"They're gonna stay with Emmett and Rose tonight," he explained. "And don't even think about arguing with me. I — I can't leave you here alone."

"Okay." I looked over at the clock. "It's late. Will you go get them so I can tell them goodnight?"

"I will." He stood up and kissed me. "Be right back."

While Edward went to get the boys, I adjusted my bed into a more comfortable position — if that was remotely possible. A few minutes later, they came in and the boys climbed back onto my bed. Emmett waited in the doorway with a small frown on his face.

"So, looks like I'm gonna be here for a few days," I started, trying to keep the tears from falling once again. "I need you both to promise to listen to Aunt Rose and not let Uncle Emmett talk you into doing anything stupid."

"Hey!" Emmett call out, throwing a hand up.

"We could just stay here with you," Alex interjected.

I shook my head. "Sorry, honey, but you can't. Just promise me that when I go home that you won't have any holes in your heads, or unexplainable bruises."

"I promise," Alex muttered.

I turned to Anthony, who had his eyes locked onto the floor. "Anthony?"

Tilting his head back, he looked at me with tear-filled eyes and trembling lips. "Promise you're gonna be okay?"

"I promise," I whimpered. "Me and the babies are going to be fine."

"Okay," he cried. "I'll be good."

"I love you both so much," I wept, pulling them in for a hug.

"We love you, too, Momma," they whispered.

After a few moments, I released them and they climbed off my bed and walked over to Emmett. He turned to walk away, but stopped when I called out to him. "Take care of them. I'm trusting you."

Emmett smiled. "You have my word, Bella. Take care of yourself and let me and Rose take care of the boys. Deal?"

"Deal," I said.

Placing a hand on their shoulders, Emmett led the boys out of my room and down the hallway. It was harder to watch them leave than I thought it would be. Edward closed the door to my room and came back over to my bed, sitting on the edge. However, I needed him closer. Grabbing his hand, I pulled him up to lay next to me. He laughed, but did as I asked. Shifting onto his side, he propped himself up on one arm while placing his other hand on my stomach. The babies pushed against his touch, almost like they were trying to tell him that they were there.

"I'm sorry for making you worry all the time," I whispered. "I really didn't it was anything big. If I had, I would have told you."

"I know, but I need you to tell me when it's even the smallest things," he replied, his tone echoing the softness of mine. "How about we make a deal? I'll try not to bug you all the time with my incessant worrying, and you try to understand where I'm coming from."

"I do know where you're coming from, Edward, I do. After Sarah . . . I know that you're scared, but I really didn't think there was anything wrong. If I had, I would have told you."

"Okay, but now you have to swear that you'll tell me everything, no matter how meaningless it may seem."

I smiled. "Deal. Just relax, okay? You're going to end up in a bed next to me if you don't."

"I'll relax when our daughters are born healthy and I know that you're going to be okay."

"Let's just hope the girls wait a while longer," I said, thinking about how at twenty-five weeks I still had a long way to go. Laying my head on Edward's shoulder, I yawned. "I'm tired."

"Sleep," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. "I'll be here all night."

"Forever sounds better," I mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.

"Forever is a given, baby."


	24. Chapter 24

**EPOV**

"Boys, move your butts!" I yelled, rushing out of mine and Bella's bedroom and into the living room. As usual, Alex and Anthony were waiting next to the front door for me. "Zip your coats up. Mom will kick my ass if you don't."

The boys grumbled, but did as I told them. A few minutes later, we were in the car and heading to the hospital — again. Today marked exactly one week since Bella collapsed in my parents' bathroom. Seven long days where the boys and I sat around her bedside, trying to keep our spirits up. Nights where I had to find a way to take my boys home, and stop myself from crying myself to sleep. It wasn't easy to leave her every night, but they needed me to be there with them.

This week had sucked.

"Is Momma gonna get to come home today?" Alex asked. It'd been the same question every morning while we drove to the hospital.

And just like I told them every other time, I sighed and said, "I don't know."

The rest of the drive was made in silence. Only the sound of the sleet pelting against the windows of the car could be heard. The only parking space I could find was in the back corner of the lot. With a sigh, I parked and turned back to face the boys.

"Looks like we're going to have to make a run for it."

Alex nodded while Anthony said, "All right."

We scrambled out of the car and took off running for the entrance of the hospital. When we broke through the set of automatic doors, I burst out laughing. We were soaked.

"Damn, that was cold," I snickered.

"Yeah," Alex chuckled, dragging his blond hair out of his face. "Pretty sure I got some in my eyes."

Shrugging the moisture off of us, we headed over to the elevator and pressed the button for the maternity floor. When we got to Bella's room, we found her lying on her left side, slowly dragging her fingers over her stomach. I'd never get tired of watching her caressing our baby girls like that. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Momma!" the boys cheered, causing her to look up at us and smile.

"Hey, guys," she said, rolling onto her back and pushing herself into a seated position. They climbed up and hugged her, trying to be gentle. "God, I've missed you!"

"You just saw us last night," Alex scoffed.

"Yeah," Anthony added, rolling his eyes. "Did you eat breakfast?"

"I managed a little," Bella lied.

We both knew she wasn't being honest. Though she did try to eat, her appetite hadn't been great. I worried, and Bella knew it, but I couldn't help it. Until my daughters were born and I knew that my wife would be okay, I wouldn't be able to calm down. They — along with the boys — were everything to me.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Bella asked, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Maybe," I replied, but pushed off the doorjamb and walked over to her. Leaning over, I brushed my lips across hers, ignoring the gagging sounds coming from our boys. "How are you feeling?"

Bella shifted her eyes to the boys for just a split second before she said, "I have a small headache. Not as bad as it's been, but it's still there."

Nodding, I reached behind me and pulled up a chair. While her iron levels were better, and her blood pressure was down, neither were where they should be, which explained why Bella was still in the hospital after a week.

"Have you told Tia?" I asked.

Bella shook her head. "She hasn't been in yet. I did tell my nurse, though. See, I'm being good."

Guilt crept into me. I hated that I'd made her feel like she'd failed me by not being honest with how she was feeling, but at the same time, I had needed her to know that she couldn't keep such things from me. Her life and the babies' lives were on the line.

"I know," I murmured, looking from her to the boys.

I wasn't sure what else to say. The past seven days had been some of the worst of my life. I could only imagine how hard it was for Bella. She was stuck in bed, with people fussing over her all the time. While I'd only left her at night and was back as soon as I could the next morning, being away from her for any amount of time was excruciating. I needed my family.

"Can we watch TV?" Anthony asked, looking at his mom with a sad, pathetic look. I bit the inside of my lip to stop the smile from spreading. He and Alex still knew how to manipulate her into letting them have what they wanted, something they often took advantage of.

"Sure, but keep the sound down." Bella handed them the remote and looked over at me, smiling. "One day, I'll learn to tell them no."

I smirked. "No, you won't."

"You're probably right," she giggled.

—MF—

Just after ten in the morning, the door to Bella's room opened and Tia came waltzing in. The boys had managed to find Spiderman and were engrossed in the show, even though they'd seen it at least a dozen times. There were just some things that would never change, and their love of Spiderman would be one.

"Hello," Tia greeted us, smiling at the boys before turning to Bella. "How's the head?"

"Still hurting," she replied, with a sigh. "Which means I don't get to go home yet, right?"

A frown slipped over Tia's lips. "I'm sorry. Your blood pressure is still too high, and I'd feel safer if you stayed."

Bella nodded, blinking several times in an effort to keep her tears from falling.

"Honey —"

"Boys, do you remember where to get ice?" Bella asked, interrupting Tia. Alex and Anthony looked over their shoulder and nodded. She smiled and picked up her plastic pitcher. "Do me a favor and get me some?"

"Okay, Momma," Anthony murmured, sliding off the edge of her bed and grabbing it. Alex nibbled on his bottom lip and looked between his mother and Tia, before nodded and following his brother out of the room.

The moment they were gone, Bella released a shaky breath and looked at Tia. "I can't stay here another day. I can't."

Tia went to speak, but Bella held up her hand, stopping her.

"My sons need me, Edward needs me. I'll stay in bed. I'll let him take my pressure ten times a day, but I cannot stay here another day. Please, let me go home. Please!"

"Don't you think I want to," Tia huffed, sitting on the bottom of her bed. Shaking her head, she said, "I watch those boys and I feel so much guilt for keeping you here, Bella, but I can't let you go home. Your iron levels are still too low. How can you ask me to let you leave?"

"Because I'm selfish enough to want to be with my family," Bella muttered.

Before she could continue, the door to her room opened. When I looked over my shoulder, I expected to see the boys standing in the doorway, but found Charlie instead. His attention was divided between the tears streaming down Bella's face and the tension in Tia's shoulders.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked.

"No, Dad, you're fine," Bella lied, trying to be discrete and wiped the tears off her face. "I didn't know you were coming by."

"Thought I'd surprise you," he said, slowly and walked into the room. "Where are the boys?"

"They're getting me some ice," she replied, pushing herself up in the bed. Shifting her eyes over to Tia, she sighed. "Please let me go home."

"Bella," she muttered, shaking her head. "I'll make you a deal. Stay through the night. If your blood pressure doesn't get any higher, I'll let you go home in the morning."

"Promise?" Bella whimpered.

Tia reached out and grabbed her hand. "I promise. I worry about you, about the babies."

"I know you do, but I need to be with my children, with my husband."

"Baby, we're okay," I lied.

She scoffed. "Don't lie to me, Edward. You think I can't tell that you're not sleeping? I know you better than you know yourself."

I couldn't deny that she was speaking the truth. As exhausted as I was, I found myself lying in bed each night, staring at the ceiling and hugging her pillow to my chest. I hadn't felt so lost since Sarah died. I needed Bella; she saved me from a life where I was simply going through the motions.

"Whatever," I muttered.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Charlie piped up causing all of us to look at him. "Why don't I take the boys with me? You know Sue would love to have them stay over and that way Edward can be here with you tonight."

"Edward?" Bella asked, turned toward me, a mix of guilt and hope filling her eyes.

Reaching out, I took hold of her hand, lifting it to my lips. Like her, I couldn't handle one more night away from her. The word tumbled out of my mouth effortlessly. "Yes."

The smile that spread over her face warmed my heart. Bella looked over at her father. "You promise me that you'll keep them safe. No fires in the backyard or playing hide and go seek in the dark. Promise me, Dad."

Charlie scoffed and crossed his arms in front of him. "I am not irresponsible, Bella."

"Dad," Bella gritted out, her jaw clenching tight, "if you want to take the boys home with you, then you'd better promise me that you're not going to lose them! Like when you got lost!"

"He got lost?" Tia blurted out.

Before Charlie could reply, Bella was telling her exactly how Charlie had gotten lost while taking care of our sons. "Last summer, he and Sue, his wife, took the boys camping, because according to him, 'all boys should have to shit in the woods.' On their second night, Charlie talked them into playing hide and seek in the dark, saying that it would fun. Yeah, the boys and Sue had fun, but Charlie," Bella gave him a pointed look, "got lost. He started screaming for help and when they found him, he was crutched down behind a tree, and crying from the way Sue tells it."

"I was not crying," Charlie insisted.

Tia, however, didn't seem to believe him and burst out laughing. "Oh, wow. Maybe the boys should come home with me. They'd be a lot safer."

"They're safe with me," Charlie muttered, shaking his head. Bella lifted an eyebrow in his direction. He stared her down for a couple of minutes before huffing. "Fine. I promise not to let them play hide and seek in the dark. I promise that we won't start a fire in the backyard. Instead, we'll just sit there with our hands under our asses and stare at the wall until morning."

"Would you?" Bella smirked. "That'd be awesome."

Charlie mumbled something under his breath about her being a pain in the ass. Before anyone could say another word, the door opened again and the boys came inside. I could tell they knew we'd been discussing Bella's health, and was nervous about what had been decided. I hated that my sons carried so much of this on their shoulders, but I also knew that no matter how many times I reassure them that everything would be okay, they wouldn't believe me. No, they'd both lost parents before and even though they were too little to really understand, they remembered what it was like when we were single parents.

"Here's your ice," Alex said, placing the pitcher on Bella's table.

"Thank you, sweetie," she replied, reaching for him. He nearly fell into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her belly. Bella kept one arm around him and gestured toward Anthony, who rushed to her side and joined in their embrace. "I'm so lucky to have such amazing sons."

"Mom, you're being mushy," came Anthony's muffled response.

Bella laughed and released them. "Sorry. Comes with being a mom."

"Guess so," he groused, sitting on the side of her bed. "Are you getting to come home today?"

Behind him, Tia flinched. She opened her mouth to say something that would sooth them, but promptly closed it. Instead, I was the one who spoke.

"Tomorrow. She'll get to come home tomorrow, if her numbers don't get any higher," I explained. The boys nodded, though their shoulders slumped forward.

"But," Charlie said, "you two rugrats are going home with me. Though, since you ignored me completely, maybe I should make you stay here with Queen Mushy."

Alex and Anthony burst out laughing, especially when Bella huffed and folded her arms in front of her. "I don't have to let them go."

Just like that, the boys stopped laughing and looks for horror filled their faces.

Charlie sputtered, "You can't go back on your word!"

"Can't I?" Bella smirked. "How mushy am I being now?"

"You're not," he, Alex, and Anthony all said together.

"Momma, please let us go with Grandpa," Alex whined, jutting out his bottom lip and even having it tremble. Oh, the boy was smooth, I'd have to give him that.

Bella's face crumbled and she looked away. "Fine, whatever. But if you come back tomorrow broken, I won't let Tia fix you. You're just gonna stay in whatever shape you're in. Got it?"

"Don't listen to her, boys," Tia piped up. "I'll fix whatever is broken."

"Yay!" they cheered and leapt off the bed, sliding to a stop next to Charlie, who was smirking.

"Whatever," Bella muttered. "I guess you'll need to go by the apartment and grab their stuff."

"Um, well, actually, Sue went shopping this week," Charlie grumbled, causing Bella to groan. "She was getting stuff for the babies, and thought she'd pick the boys up some stuff, too."

"It's fine," Bella sighed. "But it has to stay at your house until we move into our new one. We're already overflowing with crap in the apartment."

"Deal," Charlie said, placing a hand on the boys' shoulders. "We're going to head out now, so rest and don't give Edward a hard time."

"I'll try," Bella snarked, rolling her eyes. She looked down at the boys. "I love you."

"Yeah, we love you, too," Alex muttered, his ears turning red.

"Yeah, love and whatever," Anthony groused, shifting nervously.

Charlie snickered under his breath as he pulled the boys out of the room, letting the door shut behind them. Tia cleared her throat and told Bella to rest, that she'd check in later. The moment she was gone, I slipped out of my chair and slide onto the bed with her, wrapping my arms around my wife.

"I miss you," I whispered.

"I'm right here," she echoed back, melting into me.

"I still miss you," I laughed.

"I miss you, too," she murmured. "I want to go home, to be in your arms every night. I want it so bad."

"You will," I vowed. "It not tomorrow, then soon. I promise."

"I hope so."

A peaceful silence drifted over us and I prayed that Bella would be able to come home with me tomorrow. Because I wasn't sure I'd be able to let her go again.


	25. Chapter 25

**BPOV**

"Dad, there's smoke coming out of the stove," I heard Anthony yell through our small apartment.

"Fuck," came Edward's reply, followed quickly by the sound of him running through the living room and into the kitchen.

The urge to throw off my blankets and go see what was going on surged inside of me, but I resisted. I knew better than to set one toe on the ground. Doing so would bring out the wrath of not only my darling, overly-protective husband, but my two adoring sons, who felt the need to check-up on me every five minutes. So, I would be good and stay in bed, hoping that Edward really did have everything under control, like he kept insisting.

"Everything okay?" I yelled, looking up from my laptop. A few seconds later, Alex came to a stop in front of the doorway to mine and Edward's bedroom, his face red and his hair a mess.

"Yep," he said, and I knew he was lying. "Everything is fine."

"Is that right?" I lifted an eyebrow in his direction, inwardly laughing when I saw him shifting from his right foot to his left. The boy couldn't lie for shit.

"Yeah." And I respected him for trying to keep his face straight. "Need some water?"

"No, thank you, sweetie," I said, and picked up the almost full bottle sitting on my nightstand. "You have any homework?"

"Mom, it's Friday," he scoffed. "They don't give us homework on Friday."

"Oh, that's right." I laughed. "So what are you and Anthony doing?"

Once again, a nervous look flittered over his face. "Nothing. Watching TV."

"Oh," I replied.

"Holler if you need anything," he said, before turning and walking back down the small, narrow hallway.

"Yeah, I will," I muttered.

Sighing, I turned back to my laptop and to the book I was working on. Tanya had put me on an official leave until after the babies were born and I'd had some time to adjust to being a mom of twins, but that didn't stop me from writing. I needed something to do with my time, seeing as I was stuck in bed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Though, I really shouldn't complain. It was better than being stuck in the hospital.

Tia had been reluctant to release me two weeks ago, but since my blood pressure hadn't risen overnight, she kept true to our deal and let me come home with strict instructions. I was not to get out of my bed. If I needed to use the restroom, then I was to have Edward or someone help me. Edward checked my blood pressure every two hours and called the readings into Tia. Also, she'd come by every week and draw a blood sample to check my iron levels. It was annoying, but for the sake of my daughters, I'd agreed.

I was trying to be good — I really was — but I hated being in bed all the time.

"So," Edward said, drawing my attention to where he was standing sheepishly in the doorway, "I might have burnt dinner, so it looks like take out tonight. What do you want?"

I laughed, partly because of the look of shame on his face, and also because only Edward could burn a pre-cooked casserole that Esme had brought for us. "Where are you going?"

"Depends on what you want." He smirked and pushed off the doorframe, coming over to sit on the bed next to me. He tugged my laptop off my lap, ignoring my huff. "Pay attention to me now."

"Ugh, don't start whining," I complained.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to." He laughed. "I've just missed you today."

I nodded. With the boys at school today, he'd had Esme come over and stay with me so he could go a shoot that Sam had arranged for him down on the Pier. Edward had been resistant, but he'd taken off so much time over the last few weeks, that he needed to keep this one. His career was on the line.

"I missed you, too," I murmured. "I love your mother, baby, but she hovers."

Edward smiled. "I know. Now, the boys want pizza for dinner, but what about you?"

I moaned and fell back against my pillows. "A big, juicy steak, a twice baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits sounds delicious."

"And you want to go back to the hospital?" Edward asked, snorting. "Tia said that you had to limit your salt intake, babe."

I grimaced. "But all the good foods have salt!"

"Now who is whining?" he pointed out.

I rolled my eyes.

"Bella," he murmured, leaning forward and pressing his lips against mine. "How about a salad?"

"Rabbit food?" I grumbled. "I want real food."

Edward inhaled deeply. "Fine. I'll make you a deal. You get a salad, and I'll sneak a couple of slices of pizza in here to you."

"What kind of pizza?"

"Pepperoni, mushrooms, and peppers," he replied, knowing exactly how I liked my pizza. "Deal?"

"Deal," I giggled.

"Damn, you're stubborn," he chuckled and reached over to my nightstand, picking up the phone.

"Eh, you love me for it," I scoffed.

"That I do, baby, that I do."

While Edward ordered our dinner, I pulled my laptop back onto my lap and turned my attention back to my novel. Though he huffed, he didn't try to stop me. It was bad enough that I was stuck in bed, but if I didn't have my writing, I'd go mad. There was only so much daytime television that a woman can handle, and I'd already reached my limit for a lifetime.

Edward went back into the living room, telling the boys the pizza would be here in half an hour and for them to clean up their mess. Seeing as Alex had told me that they were watching television, I had to wonder what mess they had to clean, but opted not to ask. There were some things that I didn't need to know, and this was one of them.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, I heard someone knock on the door to our apartment. So much for the half hour they told us. The sound of Edward opening the door, and talking to the delivery man carried into the bedroom. It was clear that Edward wasn't happy with the man, but he kept his voice calm and even. A few minutes later, the door shut once again and Edward came into our bedroom carrying a large pizza box and foam box that held my salad.

"They got the boys' pizza wrong," he muttered, placing the food on the bed and picking up the phone. "How hard is it to get a hamburger pizza with extra cheese right?"

"What'd they send?" I asked, leaning up and grabbing my salad. Opening the foam box, I grimaced at the overload of tomatoes covering my leafy greens. "They put tomatoes on this."

"Mother fuckers," he swore and called the pizza joint.

I could only make out his side of the conversation, but from what I could gather, they were trying to insist that Edward hadn't told them no tomatoes — when he knows that I hate them — or that he ordered the boys a large ham and pineapple pizza with extra anchovies. I mean, who in the hell would order that? Especially two ten-year old boys?

After several minutes of arguing, Edward slammed the phone down on the table and ran his fingers through his hair. "They're going to reimburse my credit card for the price of dinner, but since they're swamped, they're refusing to send out the correct order."

"Wow, I guess we can mark them off of places we get take out from," I said, placing the foam box on the bed.

"No shit," he muttered, placing his elbows on his knees and looking over at me. "I'm gonna run to the store and grab the boys some hotdogs. You want me to get the stuff for salad?"

I shook my head. "Think you could manage scrambling me a couple of eggs instead?"

"Probably not," he replied, honestly.

"Didn't think so." I sighed. "How about some yogurt then?"

"That's not very much," Edward mumbled.

"I'm not very hungry." The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Edward scowled, which just added to the guilt I felt for not taking better care of myself, as he called it. Shifting my eyes over, I looked at the rectangle box sitting on the bed. "Plus, you promised me two slices of pizza."

Edward snorted and grabbed the box, pulling the top up to show a large meatlover's with what looked like three-times as much cheese as normal, and of course — anchovies.

"Well, fuck," I muttered, leaning back against my pillows and dropping my hands onto my twenty-eight week belly. "Then I guess I will just eat the yogurt."

Edward mumbled something under his breath as he stood up and walked out of our room, but I ignored him. It wouldn't help. Edward was going to worry about me no matter what I said or did. That was just the way he was and I was starting to accept it. Besides, having a husband who loved me so much that he worried about me like this could never be a bad thing.

Before Edward left for the store, I heard him tell the boys to keep the noise down and to check on me. Rolling my eyes, I turned my attention to my laptop and to the plot-bunny that had been nagging me for weeks.

By the time Edward got back home, I'd heard several noises concerning what my sons were doing in the living room, but did as I was told, and stayed in bed. Unless they were doing something dangerous — and I was ninety percent sure they weren't — then I wasn't going to get stressed out about it. The stress wasn't going to help my blood pressure.

"You're dinner, my love," Edward announced, walking into my room with a cup of Greek yogurt and bowl of strawberries. Smiling when he saw me notice the red fruit, he laughed. "They were fresh and on sale, so I splurged."

"You did good, baby," I giggled, plucking one off the plate and biting off the tip. Moaning, I snaked my tongue out and swiped up a bead of juiced that tried to trickle down my lip. "Mmm, that's delicious."

"You can say that again," Edward moaned, huskily.

I smirked as I finished eating my berry, noticing the way my husband was watching me. "Want one?"

Edward shook his head, but leaned forward and kissed me. "I'd rather suck the taste off your lips."

I groaned and tried to pull him back on the bed with me, but Edward pulled away. "Edward!"

"Baby, you know we can't do anything," he mumbled, sounding as frustrated as I was.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure we're both very capable of doing anything we want," I purred, reaching for him again. However, once again, he pulled himself out of my arm reach. "Edward?"

"We can't." He frowned.

"Why not?" I asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it from him.

Edward rolled his eyes and pushed my yogurt into my hand. "Because I'm pretty sure that us having sex will cause your blood pressure to rise."

"Ah," I said, placing my hand on the bed and pushing myself up into a seated position. Bringing my hand up to my swollen belly, I sighed. "Thought so."

"It's not that I don't want to," he was quick to say.

"Yeah," I murmured, bringing a spoonful of yogurt to my mouth and sucking it off. "I can tell."

"Bella," he groaned, falling onto the bed and closing his eyes.

"It's fine," I replied. "You're right. The babies and my health, and everything. I'm just being silly."

Edward rolled onto his side and looked at me. "Baby, I want you. Trust me, I want you so much."

"Okay."

"You don't believe me," he accused, narrowing his eyes at me.

"No, I do," I lied, almost believing it for myself.

Edward growled and pushed himself onto his hands and knees, crawling over to me and pulling the bowl of yogurt out of my hands and placing it on the table. Before I could react, he pushed me back against my pillows and placed his arms on either side of me.

"Edward," I whispered.

"If after five years together, you don't know that I always want you, then you don't know me." Edward ran his hand up the side of my leg, over my hip, across my belly, and to the side of my breast. "Every morning, I wake up with you pressed against me. My body screams for me to take you, to feel you wrapped around my cock."

The moment Edward said that, a shiver soared over me, and my skin erupted in goose bumps, which caused him to chuckle softly.

"I love that you respond to me like that," he murmured.

"Edward," I breathed.

"I love you, baby," he whispered, brushing his lips across mine. "Don't ever doubt that."

"I love you, too," I cried, unsure why I was feeling so emotional today.

Though, I still wanted him to make love to me, I let it go knowing that he was right. The risks to our babies wasn't worth the chance. After Edward got the boys settled in the living room, he joined me on the bed, where I ate my strawberries and yogurt, and we watched a movie.


	26. Chapter 26

**EPOV**

"Ugh, my pancakes are burnt," Anthony muttered.

I looked over my shoulder, watching as he tried to cut through the large, charcoal circle sitting in the middle of his plate. Sighing, I turned from the sink and grabbed his plate from in front of him.

"Sorry," I mumbled before dumping the uneaten food in the trash before grabbing him a clean bowl, some cereal, and the milk. "Here."

"I would have eaten it," Anthony said.

I smiled, because he would have. "I know, but you shouldn't have to. I didn't mean to let it burn, but Mom needed help getting into the bathroom and by the time I got back in here, they were black."

Anthony nodded and picked up the box of Apple Jacks. Alex walked into the kitchen, dropping into the chair next to his brother and looked at his plate of blackened pancakes, before shifting his eyes up to mine.

"You don't have to eat them," I groused, swapping his plate out from underneath him and placing a clean bowl.

"Thanks," he chuckled and took the box of cereal from Anthony. "Mom was calling for you, by the way."

"Dude, why didn't you tell me when you came in?" I snarled as I rushed out of the kitchen. When I walked into the bathroom, I found Bella sitting on the toilet waiting for me with a frown on her face. "Sorry. Your son chose his hunger over your needs."

"It's fine," she insisted, and I let it go. Sliding my arms under legs and around her back, I lifted her up. "I already washed my hands."

Nodding, I carried her back into our bedroom and placed her on the side of the bed. "What do you want to wear?"

"Something comfortable," she muttered. "Yoga pants, T-shirt — if I have one that still fits."

Smiling again, I turned to our dresser and pulled out her favorite pair of charcoal grey yoga pants and black maternity shirt. At thirty weeks, our twin daughters had made their presence known and Bella's belly had gotten much larger. She hated it, while I loved the way her body had morphed.

Facing my wife, I knelt in front of her and helped her slide her legs into the pants. Bella placed her hands on my shoulders and stood up, a low hiss slipping out of her mouth. When I looked up at her, she tried to smile, but I saw the pain behind it.

"What is it?" I asked.

"My back is sore," she replied. "Probably from being stuck in that bed for a month."

Stifling my sigh, I stood up and helped Bella shimmy her pants up her legs, over her hips, and stomach. I slid my arm around her waist and brought my other hand up to her face. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," she whispered, yet I felt guilty.

When she collapsed on Christmas, I'd been so angry at her for not telling me about the headaches, about the feelings of anxiousness that I had lashed out at her. "I know, but I still hate that you're miserable."

"I'm not," she lied, once again trying to smile. "Now, help me with my shirt, and no funny business! My boobs are not for your entertainment."

I laughed. "Yeah, they are." I helped Bella remove her nightgown; her large, perky breasts nearly begged me to suck on them. "See? They're calling out to me."

"No, they aren't." Bella giggled, swatting my hand away, but not before I managed to pinch her hard nipple between my fingers. "Edward! That fucking hurt!"

"Oh, sorry," I snickered, earning me a glare. "Seriously, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, the smirk on your face says differently," she groused, sitting on the bed and picking up her bra. "You and your silly obsession with my boobs."

"I can't help it," I chuckled. "They're gorgeous."

"Just what every woman wants to hear." Bella rolled her eyes as she put her bra on, shoving her swollen tits into the cups. Picking up her T-shirt, she sighed. "I'll need socks, too."

"Okay." I grabbed a pair of her favorite socks and sat on the bed next to her while she put her shirt on. Taking hold of her legs, I pulled them up over mine and brought my hands to her feet. "They're swollen."

"A little," she murmured. "Not unexpected with twins, but we'll make sure Tia knows."

I nodded. "Still think she should come here."

"Baby, we can't keep expecting Tia to make house calls." Bella placed her hand on her belly. "She has other patients."

"I know," I said, and left it at that. Bella was right — this much I knew — but I couldn't help worry. Bella, the boys, and the girls were my life, everything to me. "Which shoes do you want?"

"Um," Bella paused for a moment, "I guess running shoes — if they still fit."

"All right," I said, grabbing them out of the closet.

I sat back down on the bed and brought her legs back up to my lap. After a few minutes, I managed to get her shoes on her feet. Lifting Bella into my arms, I carried her into the living room, where we found the boys sitting on the couch with our coats in their arms. Alex held Bella's out to her, but she shook her head.

"I'm hot," she grumbled, laying her head on my shoulder.

"Bella, it's cold outside," I murmured.

"And I'm sweating, so if it's okay with you, I'd rather not add another layer of clothing," she bit out.

"Okay, love," I whispered, knowing better than to argue with her.

"Does that mean we don't have to wear our coats?" Anthony asked, the hopefulness in his voice evident.

"Um, no," I replied, giving him a look. "Let's go."

"Fine," he muttered, but shoved his arms into his coat.

With the boys ready, we walked out of the apartment. Since Bella had been instructed not to be on her feet at all, I carried her down to our car and placed her in the passenger seat. Once the boys were buckled into the backseat and I was behind the wheel of the car, I drove the boys to school.

"Don't forget that Nana is picking you up after school and taking you back to her house," I said once I'd parked in front of the school.

"We know, Dad. You and Mom have reminded us fifty times," Anthony grumbled, opening the car door.

"Sorry if we're annoying you so much," Bella muttered, shifting her eyes back to him. "But it's kind of our jobs as your parents."

From the rearview mirror, I saw guilt creep over Anthony's face. "Yeah, I know. Sorry."

"Don't be," Bella chirped, smiling. "Have a good day, okay? I love you both."

"We love you, too, Mom," Alex mumbled, shoving Anthony out of the car and nearly leaping out before he closed the door.

"Is it wrong that I enjoy embarrassing them so much?" Bella asked, looking over at me.

"No," I laughed.

"Good." Bella smiled and placed her hand on my arm.

Watching until the boys were inside the building first, I pulled the car into traffic and headed toward Tia's office. Bella was thirty weeks and had been on complete bedrest at home for the last four weeks. While she tried to keep a positive attitude, I knew not being able to even walk to the bathroom by herself was driving her crazy. She'd tried once a couple weeks ago, but when she got dizzy and almost stumbled into the dresser, she allowed me to help her. Just those handfuls of steps caused her blood pressure to rise, and once again Tia threatened to put her back in the hospital. The look of horror on Bella's face cut through to my heart, and she begged Tia not to take her away from me and the boys. Bella was stubborn, but I loved her.

I pulled up in front of Tia's office and ran inside to grab a wheelchair. Bella scowled as I lifted her from the front seat of the car and placed her in the seat, but she didn't argue with me. I pushed her inside and told her to wait for me while I parked the car. Chilled from the cold, winter January air, I rushed inside and, grabbed the back of Bella's chair.

"I think it might snow," I said, pushing her toward the elevator.

"Think it's really cold enough for snow?" Bella asked, and I nodded. "Maybe we shouldn't go to your parents for dinner tonight."

"Yeah, we'll see what the weather is doing later," I replied.

"Okay."

The doors to the elevator opened on the third floor, and I pushed Bella over to the front desk so she could check in before going to one of the couches and sitting down. We'd only been there for about a minute when the door to the back opened, and Cora, Tia's nurse, called Bella's name.

"Where is your coat?" Cora asked with a scolding tone as she held the door open wide for me and Bella.

"At home," my wife mumbled. "I'm hot."

"Hmm, okay." Cora sighed and led us over to her station. "How have you been feeling?"

"Um, my head still hurts a little, and my back is very sore. I still don't have much of an appetite," Bella reported. I cleared my throat, causing Bella to look over at me. I tilted my head toward her feet. "Oh, yeah, my feet are swollen, too."

Cora nodded before taking Bella's blood pressure. When the number displayed — 144 over 83 — Cora shifted her eyes up to mine as if to tell me something I didn't know. Yeah, her blood pressure was too high. We knew that. Grabbing a small plastic up, she thrust is at Bella.

"Go pee."

"Yes, ma'am," Bella grumbled.

I pushed her down to the bathroom and carried her inside, holding her up while she worked her pants and panties down. Sitting down, Bella shoved the plastic cup under her and averted her eyes away from mine.

"This is humiliating," she muttered under her breath.

I wasn't sure what to say so instead, I grabbed a couple of paper towels and waited for her to hand me the cup, which she did moments later. Placing it on the small shelf, I helped Bella get to her feet and pull up her panties and pants, before she washed her hands. Lifting her into my arms again, I pressed my lips against the side of her head before I carried her back out into the hallway and set her in the wheelchair.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too," she murmured.

I pushed Bella's chair down to her exam room and helped her onto the bed. Cora took her blood pressure again, but refused to let me see what it was. Not that it mattered. I knew that any kind of movement tended to raise her pressure, which was why she spent all of her time in bed. Our girls were worth her sacrifice.

"Hello," Tia greeted us when she opened the door to Bella's room. "How's it going in here?"

"The usual," Bella replied, trying to smile. I hated that the last few weeks of her pregnancy had been so hard on her. She hadn't been able to enjoy any of it because she was stuck in bed. "I'm sure Cora told you, but I still have a headache, and my back hurts."

"And you haven't had much of an appetite, and your feet are swollen," Tia said. "Yes, she told me. Is there any time when the headaches aren't as bad? Morning, evening, afternoon?"

"Not really." Bella shrugged her shoulders and brought her hands to her belly. "It's pretty much there all the time."

Tia nodded and washed her hands. She turned to Bella and placed her hand on her shoulder, helping my wife lay back on the table. Bella groaned, folding one of her arms under her head. Tia slipped her shirt up over her belly and tugged her pants down below her stomach. Pulling out her measuring tape, she began to size up Bella's stomach.

"How big?" Bella asked.

"Thirty-three inches." Tia smiled and brought her hands to Bella's stomach, feeling around. "Everything feels good. How about we take a peek at your girls?"

"Oh, yes, please!" Bella pleaded, a breathtaking smile spreading over her face.

Tia laughed. "Okay, give me a second."

She came back into Bella's room a few minutes later pushing the ultrasound machine. Bella was almost vibrating with excitement. Tia pulled her chair over and sat down before squirting some gel on her stomach, causing her to yelp from the cold. Bringing the wand up to her stomach, Tia started moving it around. After making a couple of notes, she turned the screen to me and Bella.

"Look at them," Bella breathed. "They're cuddling!"

And they were. The girls were facing each other and it looked like their arms were wrapped around the other. Their heads were pressed together, and it looked like they were smiling. They were beautiful, and I couldn't wait to meet them.

"They're healthy, right?" Bella whimpered.

"Perfectly." Tia smiled again. "I'm still concerned about your blood pressure, though. It's still higher than I'd like, and last week's blood test showed that your iron levels are still too low."

"I am not going back to the hospital," Bella grumbled, and when Tia went to protest, Bella sat up and put her hand up. "No. I'm being good. I tell Edward when I don't feel good, I'm staying in bed and letting him carry me around everywhere. Being in the hospital, being away from my family, isn't going to make my blood pressure any better. Please, don't tear me away from my family, Tia!"

"Okay, calm down," she instructed, grabbing hold of Bella's hand. "I don't want to, but I'm concerned."

"I know you are, but I'm doing as I am told and staying in bed. Leaving my sons, leaving Edward, is just going to make me miserable. It will make Edward and the boys miserable. Haven't we suffered enough for one lifetime?" Bella asked, frowning.

Bringing her hand up to my lips, I sighed. "Love, if it's better for you and the girls, then you should go back into the hospital."

Bella gasped. "You don't mean that."

"I do," I insisted. "Your health, the girls' health, are more important than anything right now. The boys and I will be okay."

"No," Bella sobbed, reaching for me. I moved closer and slipped my arm around her waist. "I need you, I need the boys. Please, Edward!"

"Okay, shhh," I whispered.

"I won't put you in the hospital again — not yet, at least." Bella and I looked over at Tia. "But I don't know how much longer we can wait. We're going to take this week by week, so be prepared to go in next week, got it?"

"Yes," Bella was quick to agree.

"All right." Tia stood up and wiped the gel off of Bella's stomach. "I'll see you next week. If you need anything, call me immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, Tia. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Giving us one last smile, Tia left.

After setting her next appointment, Bella and I rode the elevator down to the lobby and I carried her out to the car. The morning had turned colder, and a crisp frost could almost be tasted in the air. Climbing in behind the wheel, I started the car and turned the heater on low, wanting to warm myself, but not wanting Bella to be hot. When she huffed and started waving a hand in front of her face, I knew I'd just have to suffer in the cold and turned the heater off.

"Are you hungry?" I asked with hope.

Bella smiled and shook her head. "Not really, but I can try to eat something. Just nothing heavy."

Nodding, I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "How about some soup? That's not heavy, right?"

"Soup sounds lovely." Bella smiled.

After picking up a couple of to-go bowls of chicken noodle soup from our favorite bakery, I drove across Seattle, stopping in front of our new house — or what will become our new house. The contractors had been working for six weeks and had finished the bulk of the outside and had moved onto the inside. The two story, five bedroom house, with three bathrooms, two living areas, dining rooms, and three car garage was more incredible than I ever expected.

"Do you think they'll have it done before the babies are born?" Bella asked, rubbing her belly.

"I hope so," I murmured, sliding one of the bowls of soup into her hand. She smiled and looked over at me. "Eat."

"I will." Bella pulled the top off the bowl and took a deep breath. "Smells delicious."

"Tastes even better," I said, with a nod toward the bowl.

Bella picked up a spoon and took a small bite. "I don't want to take the girls home to the apartment. I want them in that house."

"They will be," I vowed, hoping like hell that I could keep my word.

By the time we finished our lunch and started back for the apartment, it had started to snow.


	27. Chapter 27

**BPOV**

Climbing off the bed, Edward walked over to our bedroom window and sighed. "The snow is getting heavier. Starting to stick on the roads." Looking over his shoulder at me, he smiled. "Guess dinner with the parents is out of the question."

"I can call Charlie, see if he'd mind picking up the boys," I offered, shifting my eyes between him and my laptop. "You know he isn't going to let a little snow stop him from dinner."

Edward laughed. "No, he won't."

"Should I call?" I asked, picking up my cell phone off my nightstand.

"Um," he looked back out the window, "yeah."

Nodding, I scrolled through my contacts until I found my father's number. Sliding my finger across the green call button, I leaned against the stack of pillows behind me and brought my freehand to my stomach. My daughter — though I wasn't sure which one — pushed against my hand, was reminding me that they were still there. Not that I could forget. No, my enormous belly was a constant reminder of what I was fighting for.

"Talk to me," my father answered after several rings.

"Is that anyway to greet someone on the phone?" I tsked my tongue. "I'm disappointed in you, Dad."

"Eh, I think you'll get over it," he replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah," I murmured.

"You okay, honey?" Charlie asked. "The babies still strong?"

"I'm fine," I told him. "And so are my girls. I have a favor to ask, though."

"A favor?" He laughed. "I should have known. You never call me unless you need something."

I frowned. "That's not true."

"Hey, I was just teasing, Bells," he said. "What do you need?"

"Um." I swallowed against the lump that filled my throat and looked over at Edward. "Well, I was hoping that you might bring the boys home from dinner at Carlisle and Esme's. The snow is getting heavier, and Edward and I don't think it's safe for us to be out on the roads."

"Oh." I could hear the shallow tone to the simple word.

"You and Sue aren't going to dinner, are you?" I asked.

"No. Leah, Seth, and Jacob were coming to dinner here so that Leah could finally meet Jacob," Charlie explained. "We were going to have you, Edward, and the boys over, but . . ."

"Yeah, bedrest," I muttered, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Listen, I can still go get the boys and bring them home," Charlie offered.

"It'll take you an hour to get to Carlisle and Esme's, then to our place, and back home. You don't have time," I replied, looking over at Edward and shaking my head. "We'll figure it out."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Sue won't mind if I'm a little late."

"No, she won't," I agreed. "But you know Leah will need you there. After Dave, she's gonna automatically think the worst about Jacob. And he doesn't need to deal with her alone."

"But if you need me," he stated.

"Dad, it's okay," I insisted. "We'll call Emmett or Jasper. Just be there for Leah, okay?"

Through the phone, I heard Charlie sigh. "All right. If you're sure."

I smiled. "I am. Love you, old man."

"Love you, too, preggo." With a hearty laugh, Charlie hung up.

Dropping the phone onto the bed, I looked over at my husband. "Charlie and Sue are having Leah, Seth, and Jacob for dinner."

Edward nodded. "Emmett's working tonight."

I lifted an eyebrow in question.

"He texted me this afternoon, said he was being held over and asked if I would make sure Rose and Elliott got home okay," he explained.

"Oh." Sucking my button lip between my teeth, I placed both hands on my stomach. "What about Jasper?"

"He's up in Portland this week," he stated. "Alice and Ivy are staying with my parents." Sighing, he turned back to the window. "I'll go get them."

My shoulders tensed. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Edward smiled and looked back at me. "The snow is barely sticking. If I leave now, we can be home before it gets too much worse."

I nodded, releasing a shaky breath. "Be safe, okay? Please?"

"I promise," he murmured, sitting on his side of the bed and putting his shoes on. Turning his body toward me, he brought his hand up to the side of my face. "I have my cell; call me if you need me."

"You shouldn't be on your phone while driving," I said, trying to keep my tone light.

Edward smiled as he leaned over and kissed me. "I'll give it to Alex. I love you."

"I love you, too," I breathed, kissing him again.

Edward climbed off the bed and walked out of our bedroom. A few moments later, I heard the door to our apartment close. Leaning back against my pillows again, I released another deep breath and tried very hard not to think about the fact that I was thirty weeks pregnant with twins, stuck in bed, and home alone while my husband drove across town to pick up our sons from their grandparents' house. While Edward had driven in snow more than a few times in our five year marriage, a feeling of unease filled me, one that had my struggling to keep my heart from racing.

—MF—

I tried to turn my attention back to the novel I'd been working on, but after ten minutes, I gave up. The apartment was too quiet, even with my music playing. So, I saved my work and closed my laptop, shoving it onto the bed. Looking out the window, I saw that the snow fall had picked up.

Needing something to distract me, I reached for the remote to the television, but the first of Renee's journals drew my attention. While I still hadn't been able to gain the courage to read it, I hadn't been able to get rid of it, either. The journal had been sitting on my nightstand for the last few weeks.

I picked it up and dragged my fingers across the rough, leather cover. The cover was worn around the bind; the edges were cracked and dry. Sliding my finger along the edge, I opened the journal, finding Renee's name scribbled on the middle of the first page with the date written under it.

"May 12, 1984," I read.

Doing the math in my head, I knew that the date had been Renee's fifteenth birthday. I turned the page, and began reading her first entry.

_Dear Journal,_

_I refuse to call you a diary. I'm not a child anymore, after all. Today is my fifteenth birthday. One more year older, one more year alone. Not alone, just not with them. Mother and Father hadn't been able to make it back before my birthday. Not that I expected them to, of course. I'd learned a long time ago not to expect Mother or Father to be here when I wanted them, or needed them. _

_It doesn't matter, not really. Marie made my favorite dinner: chili dogs! Mother would have a fit if she knew Marie dared to allow me to eat such unhealthy foods! Marie doesn't care what Mother thinks. She hasn't hidden the fact that the only reason her and Phillip still work for my . . . parents for the lack of a better word . . . is because of me. They actually love me. _

_At least, they claim they do._

After reading her first entry, I brought my hand up to my chest and turned the page.

_Dear Journal,_

_Mother called last night. Three days after my birthday. Did she wish me a happy birthday? No. No, she called to make sure I had received her latest package: a new summer wardrobe straight from Paris! I have a closet full of clothes that I've never worn, that I would never wear. Silk, Satin, Lace! I want acid wash jeans and slinky tank tops! I want leather! I wonder if she'd come home if I burned everything she sent me?_

Turning the page, I kept reading.

_UGH! I want to kill someone, Journal! Mother and Father arrived back home during the night. I came down to breakfast, expecting Marie and Phillip to be in the kitchen, but they weren't. Mother was standing in front of the fridge like she was afraid something would jump out and bite her. When I walked in, she cringed when she saw me in a pair of cut off denim shorts and a stained Tee._

_She ordered me to go put something "respectable" on. Like that bitch would know anything about respect. After changing into one of the hideous sundresses she'd sent two weeks ago, I returned to the kitchen, where I found her and Father. Marie and Phillip still weren't there._

_Then they told me. Mother and Father are getting a divorce and I'm being forced to move with Mother to Forks, Washington. I begged Father to let me stay with him, but he looked me in the eye and told me that I had to go with her. Father doesn't want me, Mother is only taking me because she's being forced to, and Marie and Phillip are gone. _

Blowing out a deep breath, I brushed a tear off my cheek and looked at the clock. Edward had been gone for almost an hour. I picked up my cell phone and called him.

"Hey, this is Edward Cullen. I can't get to the phone, so leave me a message," his voice rang through the phone.

"Straight to voicemail," I muttered, ending the call.

Dropping the phone back onto the bed, I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling my girls pushing against my touch. Deciding to give Edward a few minutes to call me back, I turned my attention back to Renee's journal.

_Journal, my mother brought me to hell. And, yes, I do mean HELL. Forks . . . Forks is horrible. Small, wet, green. Nothing like New York. I want to go home, I just don't want Mother to go with me. Mother has been drinking again. She doesn't even bother to hide it. I come home from school and find her passed out in her oversized bed, not that she ever got out of bed in the first place. She says she's mourning the life she lost, the shame Father has brought onto our family._

_Father has a new girlfriend, some girl who is barely older than I am. I wouldn't know about her if I hadn't seen them in the society pages. I called him, but he didn't call me back. It's been two months since I last spoke to my Father. Guess he never loved me. _

_Dear Journal,_

_I've met someone, and I'm in love! It sounds silly, I know. Barely fifteen, what could I know about love, right? I know that Charlie makes me happy. He makes me smile. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel needed and wanted. Charlie Swan. That's his name. He's seventeen, and so handsome. Tall, dark, gorgeous. But the best thing about Charlie is that he doesn't care what my last name is. He sees me as just Renee. I'm just enough for him._

Closing the journal, I tossed it onto the bed, unable to read anymore. She spoke about my father like he saved her, yet she left him. So many times, she left him. She left me. How could she be so in love with my father, yet not want me?

Bringing my fingers up to my face, I wiped my tears away and looked at the clock. Another fifteen minutes had passed, and still no Edward. One glance out the window and I knew the snow was still falling heavily. Picking up my phone, I called Edward again, but just like it had before, the call went straight to his voice mail.

My hands shook as I dialed Carlisle and Esme's house, but a pattern of beeps told me that the phone lines were done. Letting my phone fall from my fingers, I brought my hands to my belly and took a bunch of deep breathes, trying to stifle the panic creeping its way into my chest.

Edward should have been home by now. It was only a twenty minute drive to his parents' house, and he'd been gone for well over an hour. Picking up my phone again, I tried to call him again, only to hear his voice mail after the first ring. My phone fell onto the bed again, and I tried to relax.

However, as the minutes passed, I found myself struggling to stay relaxed. Five minutes went by and still there was no work from Edward. Ten minutes, fifteen, twenty. When the clock changed and Edward and the boys weren't home yet, I tried to call him again, but still could only reach his voice mail.

Throwing the blankets off my legs, I scooted to the side of the bed and pushed myself up so that I was standing. My body screamed in protest, having spent the last month on bedrest. I cradled my arms around my stomach and shuffled across our bedroom, placing one hand on the wall as I walked into the hallway.

My heart was racing and tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I needed to do something — I just didn't know what. I'd just reached the end of the hallway when I heard someone on the other side of our apartment door. Holding myself up against the wall, I could feel my tears pouring down my face as the door opened and Edward, Alex, and Anthony walked in.

"Thank God!" I cried, crumbling to the floor.

"Bella!" Edward yelled, dropping the casserole dishes in his hands on the floor as he rushed over to me, falling to his knees. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"You — you . . ." My words died out in my throat as my sobs overwhelmed me and I clung onto Edward.

"Shh, baby, calm down," he whispered, lifting me into his arms and carrying me back into our bedroom. Edward tried to lay me on the bed, but I held onto him. "Bella, let go!"

"No!" I cried, clawing at his shoulders to keep my grip on him. "Don't leave me!"

"Baby, I am not leaving you," Edward declared. "Just let me lay you down."

Somehow, I managed to release my hold on him and lay back on my pillows. Edward shrugged off his coat and shoes before sitting on the side of the bed. He reached over on my nightstand and picked up my blood pressure meter, giving me a look that said not to even think about arguing with him. I didn't; not when he was sitting in front of me where I knew he was safe.

The cough tightened around my arm, becoming quite painful before it began to loosen. When the all too familiar alert went off, we both looked down, knowing immediately that what the numbers meant. My blood pressure was higher than it had been in weeks, no doubt thanks to my journey down the hallway and my panic attack.

"Bella, what were you doing out of bed?" he asked, draping one hand over my legs and bringing his other hand up to my face.

"I — I . . ." I shook my head. "You weren't here, and I got scared. I tried to call, but . . ."

Edward's eyes closed. "Cell towers are down due to the snow. I'm sorry, I tried to call, but I couldn't get through. The roads were slick, and there was an accident over on Keller and 58th. Traffic was backed up for three blocks, but you should not have been out of bed."

I brought my hand up and covered his. "I got scared," I cried. "You weren't back yet. You and the boys . . ." Swallowing against the bile rising in my throat, I shuddered. "I just got scared."

Edward sighed. "I know, baby."

"Dad." At the sound of Alex's voice, we looked over and saw him and Anthony standing in the doorway of our bedroom. "Is everything okay?"

Edward nodded and tried to smile, though I could see the concern in his eyes. "Yeah, Mom just got worried because it was taking us so long. Why don't we fix her a plate, and then we can all watch a movie together?"

Alex and Anthony looked from him to me, before they nodded.

"Yeah, okay," Alex said. "I'll make her plate."

"I'll pick a movie," Anthony told us.

"No horror," Edward and I said together, laughing when he scowled.

"Fine. Chick flick it is," he grumbled before following Alex down the hallway.

I smiled and looked back at Edward, who had brought his hand to my belly. "They like it when you touch my stomach."

"They do?" he asked, shifting his eyes up to mine and I nodded. "I like feeling them move. It's cool."

"For you," I snickered before sighing. "I'm sorry for getting out of bed. I just . . . the thought of sitting here when you needed me . . . I haven't felt that helpless in a long time."

Edward leaned forward and kissed me. "I promised that I would be careful, and I was."

"I know," I whimpered. "I love you, Edward. I love you so much!"

"I love you, too," he whispered, crushing his lips across mine once again.

"Okay, okay, no more kissy face," Anthony grumbled, walking into our bedroom with a movie tucked under his arm and two plates in his hands. He handed one plate to me and kept the other one for himself, while Alex handed Edward his plate. "I figured you'd want something really girly, so I got Pitch Perfect."

Beside me Edward groaned, but I ignored him. "Thanks, sweetie."

"You're welcome," he muttered, sitting on bottom of the bed next to Alex. He looked up at his brother and rolled his eyes. "Women."

"I know," Alex replied, lifting a forkful of green beans to his mouth. "And just think, soon we'll have two more women here!"

"Ugh, we should have asked for brothers!"


	28. Chapter 28

**EPOV**

Sitting at the dining room table, I tapped my fingers on top and stared at the email open on my laptop. Sam Uley had texted me this morning, telling me he had forwarded me an urgent email. It turns out I'd been invited to display my works at a showcase the Seattle Art Association was having in next week. One of their artists had to drop out at the last minute, and the board had heard about my work. They voted to offer me the vacant spot. And for the last half hour, I'd been staring at the invitation, and trying to decide what I should do.

Sighing, I closed my laptop and pushed away from the table, unable to stare at it any longer. I kicked one of Anthony's shoes out of my way as I headed toward mine and Bella's bedroom. I leaned against the doorframe and stared at my wife.

She was leaning back against her pillows, one hand absentmindedly stroking her belly while one of Renee's journals was clutched in the other. I had to admit to being surprised that she had decided to start reading her mother's private words, but then again, Bella had been so worried about me and the boys that night just two weeks ago.

I shook my head, thinking about the storm that had hit the city. In hindsight, I realized I should have just let the boys stay at my parents' house, knowing that when snow hit Seattle, it shut down the city. It didn't matter if we got half an inch, or two feet — which we ended up getting by the time the weather subsided.

Walking through the door and finding her leaning against the wall, tears pouring down her face, and her arms protectively cradling our daughters — I never wanted to see that look on her face again. In one night, I'd awoken Bella's fears of being left alone and pregnant once again.

"Which one is that?" I asked, drawing her attention over to me.

Bella smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Her third. She, um . . ." Taking a deep breath, she paused. "She just found out that she was pregnant with me. She was only seventeen and her mother — my grandmother — kicked her out, saying that Renee was a whore and dead to her now."

Nodding, I walked over to the bed and sat down, angling my body so that I was facing her and draping my arm over her legs. "That couldn't have been easy."

Bella shook her head, dislodging a few tears. "By this point, her father had married and divorced two other women and she hadn't seen him in a year. Charlie and his parents took her in, and he proposed to her after her junior prom. She writes about how he took her to the beach and they danced in the moonlight. It sounds so romantic, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "Is reading her journals helping you understand her?"

"A little, I guess," she replied. "From her words it's clear that she never felt like her parents loved her, and I'm honestly not sure she was wrong."

I nodded, unsure of what else to say.

"She says that finding out that she was pregnant was the happiest moment in her life because it meant that she would finally have someone to love her." Bella frowned. "But I guess I wasn't enough for her."

"Baby, it wasn't your fault that she left you and Charlie. Hell, it wasn't Charlie's fault, either. Maybe it's because Renee never felt the love of a mother, or because her parents would rather leave it to a nanny and groundskeeper to take care of her. I don't know, but you were a little girl who never did anything to make her leave."

"Logically, I know that," she whimpered, rubbing her belly again. "I just can't imagine ever leaving Alex or Anthony, or not being here to watch our daughters grow up. How could she not want me to have a better mother than she had?"

"I don't know," I murmured, frowning. "I wish I had an answer for you, love, but I don't. Just know that our children do have a better mother than you did, than she did. You're an amazing mother."

"Stuck in bed," she grumbled, adjusting her position with a groan. "I swear this bed is going to have a permanent impression of my ass indented on it."

Laughing, I leaned up and kissed her. "It'll be a beautiful indention, then."

"Ugh, that was cheesy," she giggled, leaning back against the pillows. The alarm on my watch chimed and she groaned. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," I replied, reaching over and picking up the digital blood pressure meter sitting on top of her stack of journals.

"Fine." Bella sighed, but allowed me to place the cuff around her arm.

Pressing the start button, I watched the numbers rising, almost knowing that regardless of the number it would be too high. Bella was thirty-two weeks along, and while her pressure had been stable, with the exception of that one night, we were counting down to when our daughters would be born. We both knew it would be sooner rather than later.

Just as her meter chimed with her results, my cell phone started ringing. I dug it out of my pocket and opened it without looking to see who was calling.

"Hello."

"Edward," Sam greeted. "Please tell me that you've gotten my email."

"Um," I shifted my eyes from the blood pressure meter with the numbers 135/84 on it to my wife, who was frowning. "I did, but I don't think I can do it."

"What?" he exclaimed. "Edward, this type of opportunity does not come along every day."

"I know that, but . . ." I sighed, turning my eyes away from Bella. "I just can't. The timing doesn't work."

"Edward, listen to me." Through the phone, I heard Sam release a deep breath, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Bella watching me intensely. "The people who run this showcase can make your career. They can open opportunities for you, for your work. Don't you want that?"

"Of course, I do," I told him as I stood up and motioned to Bella that I would be right back. Walking out of our bedroom, I went over to the dining room table and sat down. "I want to show my work at the showcase, but now just isn't a good time."

"Bella and the babies?" he asked.

"Yeah," I murmured. "Her blood pressure . . . She needs me right now, the boys need me. I just can't. I'm sorry."

"Look, I get it," Sam said. "I do. Bella, the boys, the babies — they are the most important part of you. Emily and the girls are for me, too, but Bella wouldn't want you to put your career on the line because of her. How many times have you taken care of the boys so she could do a book signing? Or interview?"

"A lot, but that was different." I argued.

"Is it?" he asked.

"Of course it was!" I exclaimed. "If Bella wasn't on bedrest, I would do it, but I can't right now!"

"Talk to her before you say no."

I sighed.

"Edward, talk this over with your wife before you throw away an opportunity that could change your life and her life." Sam paused. "Don't make me call her, Edward. You know I will."

I groaned, knowing that he would call her. "Fine. I'll call you back."

"Good." And with that, Sam hung up.

Closing my eyes for just a moment, I stood up and pocketed my phone before walking back into our bedroom. Bella had rolled onto her side and had a pillow shoved between her knees. When I walked into the room, she shifted her eyes over to me, a delicate frown slipping over her lips.

"Who was that?" she asked, watching as I walked over and sat down next to her.

Bracing my elbows on my knees, I leaned forward and clamped my hands together. "Sam."

"What'd he want?"

I took a deep breath. "Um, well, you know that showcase that the Seattle Art Association holds every year?"

"Yeah. Last year's show was amazing," she replied. "What about it?"

"They had an artist drop out at the last moment and, um, the committee offered me the spot."

"What?" She gasped, leaning up. "Are you serious?"

I nodded.

"Oh, my God, Edward!" Bella laughed, wrapping an arm around me from behind. "Baby, that's fantastic! When is the showcase?"

"Next week, but . . ." I trailed off as I looked over at her. "I can't do it."

Bella frowned. "Why not? You have a ton of amazing shots that could work. Oh, like the ones from the beach last summer. They would be perfect."

"I know, but the timing is not right." The moment the words were out of my mouth, Bella tensed and rolled onto her back, pushing herself up so that she was leaning against her pillows. "Bella —"

"No," she whispered, shifting her eyes up to mine. "No, I won't let you do this."

"Bella," I sighed.

"Edward, this opportunity might not come again. If you don't take it, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Maybe even . . ." She shook her head as a shudder ran over her.

"What?" I asked.

Bella turned away from me. "You'll resent me for holding you back."

"What?" I groused, shocked. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I'm the reason you're saying no," she whispered, looking over at me. "If I wasn't on bedrest, you would have already said yes and would be sorting through your photos, trying to decide which ones to use."

"Bella," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Am I wrong?" she whimpered.

"No," I admitted, "but I would never resent you, baby. Ever. You need me right now."

"I do, but I need you to do the showcase." I opened my mouth to argue with her, but she held her hand up and stopped me. "For the last five years, you've been there for me while I made a name for myself as an author. And now it's my turn to support you. You have to call Sam back and tell him that you'll do the showcase."

"Bella," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"Please, Edward?" she cried. "Don't hold yourself back just because of me. Please?"

"Fuck," I swore under my breath. "Fine, I'll do it, but I'm not happy about it."

"Yes, you are!" She laughed. "Admit it. You're excited."

"I am," I agreed with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied. "Now call him!"

"Okay, okay." Digging my phone out of my pocket, I called Sam and told him I was in.

—MF—

"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered, tossing my shoes out of my closet. "Fuck!"

"Wow, such language," Bella snickered from the bed.

Ignoring her, I kept searching until I found my black leather dress shoes and walked over to the bed sitting down.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah," I admitted, putting my shoes on before I turned and looked at her. "Remember that night we went to your release party with the publishing house? Right before the first book in the Sayar Island Series was released?"

"Yes," she giggled.

"That's how I feel," I muttered. "I don't know if I can do this, Bella."

Bella brought her hand up to my face. "You can, and you will. Edward, my love, believe in yourself."

"I wish you could come with me," I whispered. "I want to share this with you."

"I do, too, but I can't," she said, her tone turning time. "Tia's just one high reading away from putting me in the hospital as it is."

"Yeah, I know." Brushing my lips across hers, I smiled. "Wish me luck?"

"Good luck," she giggled just as someone knocked on the door to our apartment.

"Got it!" Alex yelled.

I rolled my eyes as I pushed myself off the bed and walked out of bedroom, finding Emmett standing in the living room with Alex hanging from one arm and Anthony from the other. "Put my children down, bro."

"Hey, they bet me that I still couldn't lift them," he explained, lowering his arms so that they were on their feet again. "You know I can't back down from a challenge."

"No, I know." I picked up my jacket off the back of one of the chairs around our dining table. "You sure you're okay with staying here with her?"

Emmett smiled. "Dude, me and Bella are going to have a party!"

"No, we're not," Bella yelled from our bedroom, causing me, Emmett, and the boys to laugh.

Putting my jacket on first, I pointed at Emmett. "Dude, if I come home and she is not in that bed, I will kick your ass."

"Swear jar!" Bella hollered from our room.

"Edward, man, you can trust me," Emmett said.

"Don't worry, Dad," Anthony told me, "Alex and I are here. We won't let anything happen to Mom."

"I'm not a child!" Bella called out.

"Of course you're not," Alex, Anthony, and I replied at the same time.

I gave the boys a look. "Be good, or else."

"Yeah, yeah, we know," they muttered together.

Against my better judgment, I left my sons and wife alone with my brother. When I arrived at the Civic Center, I was surprised to see so many people already there. Sam had assured me that he would make sure all my pieces were set up before the showcase opened.

I found him standing in the far corner of the banquet room with a dozen of my favorite photographs hanging on the portable walls around him. It had taken me a few days, but I finally settled on a selection of pictures I'd taken over the summer when Bella and I had taken the boys to the beach. It was the looks of pure joy and happiness on my families faces that made it clear they were the ones I needed to go with.

"Hey, Sam," I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. "They look great."

"They do, don't they?" he asked, smugly. "It's like I knew they should be here or something."

I rolled my eyes, thinking about how cocky he had been over the last week. "Yeah, whatever."

Sam laughed. "Aw, don't be like that! I'm just so excited for you!"

"I know." I released a heavy breath. "Just wish Bella was here."

"Next time," he said, but before he could say anything more, he looked over my shoulder and began to smile.

When I looked back, I found Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, and Sue walking toward us. All four of them had insisted on being here for me tonight, especially since Bella couldn't. I had my suspensions that Bella had talked to them before I could. Since they were here with me, that meant Emmett was voted to stay with Bella and the boys.

"Hey," I said, smiling as I turned toward them. Esme squealed and launched herself into my arms. "Mom."

"I'm so proud of you, Edward," she whimpered and when she leaned away from me, I saw tears in her eyes. "This is one of those moments that I dreamed about having, and now, I get to watch you show everyone the world you see through your camera. I'm just so proud of you."

"Mom," I whispered, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "If you hadn't encouraged me, shown me the way you see the world . . . just thank you."

"Oh, my darling boy, you're welcome." Sniffling, she took a step back, finding herself in my father's arms. She melted into his embrace, and I felt a spark of jealousy. I wanted to be holding Bella like that right now.

Turning away, I waved my hand toward my photographs. "Well, what do you think?"

"They're prefect," Esme murmured, walking over to one of Bella and the boys. They were slashing each other, and I had managed to capture Bella as she threw her head back and laughed. "Look how . . . crisp the image is. You can almost feel her happiness."

"She always did love the beach," Charlie said, causing us to look over at him. "After Renee left for the last time, I took Bella to California and we spent a week on the beach. It was the first time that Bella didn't cry when that woman left us."

"That's why I took her," I murmured, and he looked over at me. "Bella was struggling with the last book in the Sayar Island series, saying goodbye to the characters and stuff. After several nights of waking up just to find her staring at a blank screen, I decided she needed to clear her head. So we woke the boys up and threw some clothes in a bag and just left. We drove all night and all day, but when we pulled up to the beach, and I saw the look on their faces, I knew it had been the right decision."

Before anyone could say anything, a tall, red haired woman walked past us and up to one of my photographs. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for some sort of reaction from her. After several minutes, she turned and looked at me, her bright blue eyes sparkling.

"You're Mr. Cullen?" she asked, and I nodded. "Maggie Sheppard. It's wonderful to meet you."

"You as well, Ms. Sheppard," I said, shaking her hand.

"Please, call me Maggie." She turned her attention back to my work. "They're spectacular. I've been watching your work for almost year, and I have to say, your eye for detail is unlike any I've seen before."

"Oh, um, thank you," I stammered.

She smiled and looked back at me, before her eyes flittered to my mother. "You're welcome, Mr. Cullen. Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," I muttered, but before I could introduce everyone, my phone began to rang. "Oh, crap, I'm sorry."

Pulling it out of my pocket, I glanced at the screen and felt my heart clench in my chest. Bella was calling. Sliding my finger across the green talk button, I brought it to my ear. "Bella?"

"Edward," she whimpered. "My water broke."


	29. Chapter 29

**BPOV**

I managed to hold my tears back until I heard the door to our apartment close, taking my husband away. But the moment I heard the all too familiar click, the damn broke and I was unable to keep them away. Again, it was irrational, but the fear that gnawed at me every time he left me alone crept into my heart and left me feeling vulnerable.

"Hey, Bella, the boys . . ." As Emmett walked into my bedroom, he paused in the doorway, a frown slipping over his lips. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I whimpered, attempting to brush the tears off my cheeks.

However, Emmett sighed and walked over to our bed, sitting on the end and turning his body toward me. "He's gonna be fine."

"I know," I said, not believing the words that tumbled out of my mouth.

"No, you don't," he replied. "And I can't blame you. After losing Brody, you're afraid that Edward will leave you too, but he won't."

I wasn't sure how to reply, so instead I just leaned against the stack of pillows behind me and rubbed my oversized stomach. My fears weren't logical. It wasn't like Edward and I had spent every moment of our five plus year marriage together, but being pregnant and stuck in bed made me feel helpless.

"The boys and I were talking food," Emmett said, trying to change the subject. I knew him too well, and he didn't handle heavy emotions very well. "And they damn neared begged me for pizza. Is — is that okay?"

I nodded, which caused the few tears lingering on my eyelashes to sprinkle down my cheeks. "That's fine."

"Bella," Emmett whispered, reaching for my hand, but pulling his hand back at the last minute.

"I'm fine," I whimpered, the tremor in my words betrayed me.

"Yeah, because you seem okay," he mumbled.

"Really, I'm fine, Emmett," I insisted, brushing my hands over my face. "What kind of pizza are you ordering?"

"I don't know. I wanted to make sure pizza was okay with you first. Rose doesn't let us have pizza a lot. You know how Elliott gets when he has cheese," Emmett rambled on.

I smiled. "I do. The boys usually order hamburger or sausage."

"Smart boys. Must take after me." Emmett laughed and winked at me. "What kind do you want?"

"I'm not very hungry." The moment the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them. Emmett glared at me, much like Edward and Esme did when I uttered the same words to them. "Emmett —"

"I'll get you whatever you want, Bella, but you are going to eat. Now, what do you want?"

I sighed. "I'm really not hungry."

"Bella," Emmett whined. "Am I going to have to call your husband?"

"Do I need to call Rose and tell her that you took Edward to a strip club the week before he and I got married?" I counted, and Emmett's eyes flew open. "Didn't think he told me about that, did you?"

"No," he grumbled. "Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" I asked. "I know that Edward loves me."

Emmett smiled. "You don't mind that he and I went to a strip club?"

"Well, I don't want you to take him again," I said, giving him a look, "but I also know that Edward's happiness means so much to you. You would never risk him losing me or the boys."

"I wouldn't," he whispered, and when he shifted his eyes to mine, I saw truth in his blue eyes. "Not to be all mushy, Bella, but for years I watched my brother waste away, lost in his grief over Sarah. Then he met you and Alex, and suddenly, he smiled again. I would never do anything that would take you away from him. He wouldn't survive losing you."

"Who knew Emmett Cullen has a sensitive side?" I cried, rubbing my belly with one hand while wiping the tears off my cheeks.

"I don't like to show it," he muttered. "People get creped out, makes them uncomfortable. Just easier to be the asshole, I guess."

"You've never been an asshole," I told him.

"Never?" Emmett cocked an eyebrow at me, and I shook my head. "Hmm, if you say so. Now, what about dinner?"

I sighed again. "I'm really not hungry."

"Bella," he groaned and looked over at me. "Fine, I won't force you to eat, but I'm going to order you some soup from that sandwich place a few blocks down."

"You're going to leave me and the boys here alone while you go get it?" I asked.

Emmett laughed. "Hell no! I'll pay the pizza delivery guy to get it."

"What?" I scoffed. "There is no way he'll do it!"

"Oh, Bella," Emmett laughed and stood up, "there is always a way."

He turned to leave, but I called out, "Wait," and he stopped, looking back at me. I felt my face turn red as I muttered, "Bathroom. I'm not allowed to walk on my own, so . . ."

"Oh," he muttered, looking from the doorway and back at me again. "Um, yeah, okay."

Walking over to the bed, Emmett slipped his arms under my knees and around my back before carefully lifting me out of the bed. He carried me into the bathroom, and gently placed me in the toilet, and then just stood there, watching me.

"Um, you don't have to stand here," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks warm once again.

"Oh, right, yeah," he chuckled as he turned and shuffled out of the bathroom. "Sorry."

"It's okay," I called out, unsure if he'd heard me.

I stood up and shoved my pants and panties to my knees before sitting back on the toilet. A relieved sigh slipped out of my mouth. Edward had helped me into the bathroom at least a dozen times today. Once I was done, I stood up, shimmied my panties and pants back up, and turned to the sink so I could wash my hands. I'd barely turned the water on when the door opened and I looked over to find Emmett standing there with his eyes closed.

"Everything good?" he asked, and I smiled. "Bella? Bella, is everything okay?" Though I knew I should answer him, I didn't. "BELLA!"

When I still didn't answer, his eyes snapped open and he frantically looked around the bathroom, glaring when he saw me standing in front of the sink.

"Fuck, Bella! Why didn't you answer me?" he snarked, pushing away from the door frame and walking over to me.

Before I could utter a sound, he swept me into his arms. Two things happened in that moment. First, I felt a gush of fluid soak my pants and second, Emmett screamed, almost dropping me on my ass as he set me back on my feet. My hands automatically moved to my belly, and I looked up at him.

"Em," I whimpered.

"Please, tell me that you just pissed yourself," he muttered.

"I don't think I can," I cried. "My water broke."

"Oh, shit, oh shit, oh shit," he swore, running a hand through his hair much like Edward did when he was overwhelmed. "No, no, no, no, no. I am not supposed to be here with you. Edward — he's supposed to be the one here for this shit."

"Yeah, well, he's not." I laughed nervously. "So, I, um, need you to help me back into my bedroom."

"What? Oh yeah, right, okay." Emmett carefully lifted me in his arms and carried me into my room.

He made to place me on the bed, but I said, "No!" And when he looked down at me, I added. "I'm wet. I don't want to get the bed wet."

"Okay," he laughed and moved me over to the wooden rocking chair. I groaned when he set me down. "You all right?"

"Um, no," I cried. "Get my phone, please."

Emmett simply nodded before handing me my cell phone. While I scrolled through my contacts to find Tia's number, Emmett walked out of my room, and I heard him tell the boys to get their shoes on and when they asked why, he told them to do as he said. Taking a deep breath, I selected to call Tia and brought the phone up to my ear.

She picked up after the third ring. "Hello."

"Tia," I murmured, unable to keep the emotion from lacing the word. "Tia, it's Bella."

"Bella, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, sounding more alert than ever.

"My — my water broke," I cried.

Through the phone, I heard her sigh. "Is Edward with you?"

"No," I whimpered. "His brother is, though."

"Okay, honey, you need to have him take you straight to the hospital," Tia instructed. "I will meet you there."

"Tia," I sobbed, cradling my belly with my free arm.

"I know, sweetheart," she whispered. "It's going to be okay. Just be careful."

"Okay," I sniffled.

Ending the phone call, I went to push myself up but stopped when Emmett came rushing into my room with Alex and Anthony behind him.

"Did you get a hold of Edward?" Emmett asked.

"No, I called my doctor first," I told him, placing my hands on the arms of the chair and pushing. He rushed over to my side and helped me up, sliding one arm around my waist. "I need some new pants."

"Um, Bella, I think we should just leave," Emmett said with a grimace.

"I do not want to go out into the freezing cold with my crotch wet!" I nearly screamed at him.

Emmett's eyes widened, and he simply nodded his head. "Boy, get your mom some pants."

"Which ones?" Alex asked, while Anthony scooted over to my dresser and began rummaging through the drawers.

"I don't care," I murmured, taking a deep breath. "Just some dry ones."

"Here," Anthony thrust a pair of Edward's plaid pajama pants at me, and I almost argued with him as I took them, but then I saw the fear in his eyes.

"Thank you, sweetheart," I whispered. He simply nodded and took a set backward. "Um, I need some panties, too."

Alex frowned as he walked over to the dresser and pulled out the first pair he touched, nearly throwing them at me. Emmett laughed as he helped me into the bathroom, shutting the door and leaving me standing there with dry clothes in one hand and my cell phone in the other. Placing my clothes on the vanity first, I called Edward.

"Bella?"

"Edward," I whimpered, unable to keep the tears from falling. "My water broke."

"What?" he asked, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"I said —"

"I fucking heard what you said," he bit out. "Have you called Tia?"

"She's meeting us at the hospital," I told him.

"Let me talk to Emmett."

Knowing better than to argue with him, I called out to Emmett, who had the door open in half a second. "Here," I said, holding the phone out to him.

"Hello?" Emmett's eyes snapped up to mine as he listened to Edward ordering him around. I could hear my husband through the phone. Sighing, I brought my hand up to the waistband of my pants and began to pull them down.

"Oy!" Emmett cringed and walked out of the bathroom with my phone still up to his ear.

If I wasn't scared to death about my daughters coming at thirty-three weeks, I would have laughed, but I couldn't. It was too soon. My girls needed more time.

"Bella, you dressed?" Emmett called out from somewhere inside my bedroom.

"Not yet," I replied.

As quick as I could, I slipped the wet clothes off and put the clean, dry ones on. "Okay, I'm dressed."

Emmett rushed back into the bathroom and handed me my phone before picking me up. "He's meeting us there."

"He threatened you, didn't he?" I asked while he carried me into the living room, where Alex and Anthony were waiting with their jackets on and our babies' bag between them.

"Yeah, he did." Emmett smiled and nodded for one of the boys to get the door. Alex was the first one to move and promptly had the door open for us. "Thanks, dude."

Emmett carried me downstairs to his Suburban and placed me in the front passenger seat and pulled the seatbelt around me, attempting to buckle it. As he fumbled, I placed my hand over his, causing him to look up at me.

"I've got it," I told him.

"Okay," he whispered before shutting the car door and rushing around the driver's side. Alex and Anthony climbed into the backseat and put their seatbelts on. Once Emmett was inside, he started the car and looked over at me. "You ready?"

"I don't know." I released a shaky breath. Anthony reached up from the backseat, placing his hand on my shoulder. A tear traveled down my cheek as I covered his with mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. "But let's go anyway."

—MF—

Emmett pulled up in front of the hospital less than fifteen minutes later. I refused to think about how fast he drove, or how he spent several minutes talking to Rose, Alice, Kate, and Angela, all in an effort to make sure that everyone knew that my daughters were coming. Instead, I tried to keep my breathing even and stay calm, even after I began feeling the tightening around my midsection as my first contraction hit.

Tia was waiting for us in the lobby with a wheelchair and look of determination etched on her face. Emmett nearly threw me into the seat. He pushed my chair behind Tia, who led us to the elevator. The tension inside the elevator was thick. Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

When the doors opened, Tia directed Emmett to push me into room 503 and then told him to get out. Tia helped me change into a hospital gown and get settled in my bed. Then she hooked up a pair of monitors around my stomach.

Leaning against the side of my bed, she smiled. "Breath, Bella."

"I'm trying," I whispered. "It's early, Tia."

"It is, but not uncommon with multiples," she explained, but before she could add anything, the door to my room opened and Edward came rushing in.

"Edward," I cried, reaching for him. Tia barely managed to step out of the way before he was sitting on the side of my bed with me in his arms and his lips pressed against mine.

"Baby, I am so sorry I wasn't there," he groused, bringing his hand up to my face. "I should have said no. I am so sorry."

"No, don't be sorry," I cried. "You had to do that showcase. I'm just sorry you had to leave early."

"Don't be sorry," he scoffed, smiled. "You and my girls need me, baby. This is where I am supposed to be."

As if to prove his point, Edward closed the distance between our lips. But before I could return it, a band of pain wrapped around my stomach and I pulled my mouth from his and struggled to keep the four letter words from pouring out of my mouth.

"Bella, breath," Edward ordered.

I tried, but when I blew out the air in my lungs, it came out sounding like I was sputtering. Just as quick as the pain hit, it started to fade away. Lying back on the bed, I turned my attention to Tia.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"Well," she started, sitting on the edge of the bottom of the bed, "I would like to see where we're at and then make a decision."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"It's quite common with multiples for one or more of the babies to be breech, meaning their tiny little bottoms are positioned to come first. Sometimes, we can turn them, but I'd like to do an ultrasound, see how much you're dilated, and then we'll know whether to continue to strive for a vaginal birth, or if we need to do a C-section."

"Oh, wow, okay," Edward murmured, looking back at me.

For the next several minutes, Edward sat on the side of my bed and held my hand while Tia did her work. I knew it was still awkward for him to watch while Tia slipped her fingers inside of me and checked my cervix, but he wouldn't leave my side. He loved me. Tia declared me to be four centimeters dilated, and a quick ultrasound showed that neither of the girls were breech, which meant I wouldn't have a C-section. I would if I had to, but secretly, I was thankful. It was hard enough having two babies; I didn't want to have surgery, too.

She declared that we'd monitor how I progressed before making any decision. With a vow to check on me in a while, Tia left. However, the door had barely shut when it opened again and I looked over and saw Alex and Anthony standing in the doorway with Charlie.

"Momma," Anthony murmured, looking unsure if he should be there or not.

"Sweetheart," I said, reaching for them, but before they could move, another contraction wrapped around me. "Fuck!"

I vaguely heard the boys gasp at my use of a curse word, but I didn't care. All I could focus on was the pain filling my abdomen. Edward had my hand wrapped tightly in his while stroking my cheek with his other hand. I found the action both comforting and annoying. After almost a minute, the pain began to fade away and I fell back against the bed, feeling completely worn out already. Letting my head lob to the side, I smiled at my sons, who looked terrified.

"Guys, I'm okay," I murmured, reaching for them again. Though I could tell they were scared, they walked over and grabbed my hand.

"How long until our sisters will be born?" Alex asked.

"I don't know," I said, smiling. "Could be a few hours, could be a lot of hours. I just don't know."

"Is it going to hurt?" Anthony asked, looking up at me through his eyelashes.

"Yes." I knew I had to be honest with him. "But the pain is worth it."

"Was it worth it with me?" Alex questioned.

I smiled. "Yes, sweetheart." From the corner of my eye, I saw Anthony drop his focus to the floor, and I was reminded that he didn't have someone to confirm his worth. Looking at Edward, I tilted my head toward our son.

"Anthony," Edward said, drawing his attention away from the floor. "Just before . . . your mother passed away, she and I were lying in bed, talking about you. And, um . . ." Edward trailed off as a tear slipped down his face. "And she started to cry because she was scared, and didn't . . . she didn't want to leave you, little man. She said you were the greatest gift she ever received."

"She did?" Anthony whimpered.

Edward drew him into his arms and held him while he cried. "She loved you so much. So very much."

"I wish I remembered her," Anthony cried. "Just one memory."

"Me too," Edward whispered.

Brushing the tears away from my cheeks, I looked over at Alex, noticing that he had tears, too. I squeezed his hand. "Hey."

"Hey." Moving over, he snuggled up next to me. "Momma?"

"What?"

"Can we please name the babies Mary Jane and Mae?"

I laughed. "No!"

But before I could say anything more, another contraction hit and he was off my bed. Edward rushed to my side, grabbed my hand, and talked me through it. When it was over, Alex and Anthony were gone.

"Guess they aren't staying around for their births," Edward snickered.

"No, I guess not," I murmured, closing my eyes.

—MF—

After the fourth hour of labor, I lost track of how many contractions, how fast they were coming, and how many times I cursed. Edward stayed by my side, holding my hand, and reassuring me that I was okay, that our daughters were okay. Tia came in several times and checked my dilation, doing repeated ultrasounds to make sure the babies were still in the right position, which they were.

When she burst into my room once again, I fell back against the bed and cried. "Please, tell me it's time to push."

"Let me check," she replied, grabbing a pair of latex gloves. Sitting on the bottom of my bed, she pushed my legs apart and slipped her fingers inside of me. Looking up at me, she smiled. "You're fully dilated, sweetheart. Time to push."

"Thank fucking God!" I exclaimed. Edward smiled, but didn't say anything as he brought his hand up to my face. Just then I felt another contraction coming on. "Now? Can I push now?"

"Yes," Tia said, pushing my legs back even more.

Edward wrapped his arm around me and held me off of the bed as I gritted my teeth together and pushed. The pain was describable, and the burn had me struggling to keep from screaming.

"STOP!" Tia yelled, reaching up and slamming her hand against the call button.

"I can't fucking stop!" I snarled, tightening my hold on Edward's hand.

"Isabella," Tia said, and I snapped my eyes to hers. "Your babies are coming, and I need you to stop so that we can deliver them safely."

"I can't," I cried, panting. "It's hurts!"

"I know, sweetheart." Tia rushed around my room, gathering sterile towels and blankets, and other supplies. The door to my room opened as several nurses and another doctor came rushing inside. Tia removed the bottom of my bed and settled between my legs. "Okay, Bella, push!"

Grabbing the inside of my left leg and tightening my grip on Edward's hand, I barred down and started pushing again and again and again. Just as one contraction subsided, another would wrap around me. Throwing my head back, I screamed as I pushed the first of my daughters.

Flopping against my mattress, I waited for her to cry, to reassure me that for now at least she was okay. Time felt like it slowed down, but then I heard it: "WAAAAH!"

"Is she okay?" I cried, looking from Edward to Tia.

"They're assessing her right now," Tia told me. "But she's beautiful. Now, it's time to meet her sister."

Mustering all the strength I could, I began pushing again. Over and over and over again, I pushed, trying to deliver the second of my two daughters. Finally, after what felt like lifetime, our second daughter was born. I flopped back on the bed again, waiting for her to cry.

A moment later, her shrill cry filled the room. Tears of joy and happiness fell down my face.

"Out!" Tia yelled, drawing our attention to her. "Get them out of here!"

"What's wrong?" Edward demanded to know, watching at our daughters were carted out of the room.

"Edward," I croaked, drawing his attention back to me. A dark shadow was slowly seeping over my vision. A tear travelled down my face as I reached for him, but before I could touch him, my eyes closed and I felt myself fading away into the darkness.


	30. Chapter 30

**EPOV**

"Bella!" I screamed, cradling her face between my hands. "Bella, baby, wake up!"

"Edward, move!" Tia yelled, pushing me out of the way as she and the three nurses began unhooking her monitors from the wall and putting the rails up on her bed.

"What's wrong with her?" I somehow managed to ask between the tears welling up in my eyes and the pain clenching in my chest.

"Let's get her out down to the OR now!" Tia ordered, pulling on her bed.

"Tia!" I yelled, grabbing her arm and causing her to look back at me. "What is wrong with my wife?"

"She's bleeding out, and I can't stop it here. I have to take her into the OR," she blurted out, slipping her arm out of my grip. "I'm sorry, Edward. If we don't leave now, she'll . . ."

"Die," I whispered, sucking in a deep breath as the reality of the situation hit me. "Tia . . ."

"I'll do everything I can."

And with those five words, Tia and her nurses rolled my wife's bed out of the room. My knees buckled under me and I dropped to the floor, falling forward and letting out a scream. My wife, my Bella, was bleeding out and could die.

"Oh my God, Edward!" At the sound of my mother's voice, I looked up at her. She was standing in the doorway of Bella's room, one hand pressed against her lips and the other covering her heart. "Darling, where are they taking Bella?"

"To — to the OR," I barely managed to choke out.

Esme gasped and rushed over to me, dropping to the floor and wrapping her arms around me. Suddenly, I felt like I was ten years old and had just fallen off my bike. How I wished life was that simple again. Instead, I was kneeling on the floor of my wife's hospital room while she was dying.

"Come on, darling," Esme whispered, soothingly as she pulled me off the floor. "You can't stay in here."

Esme pulled me out into the hallway and turned toward the waiting room, but I pulled myself out of her grip. "The girls. I need to go check on the girls."

"Edward —"

"Mother," I snapped, shifting my eyes up to hers. "I need to see my daughters."

"Okay." She brought her hand up to my face. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "Stay with the boys, but don't tell them about — about Bella yet."

"If you think that's best," Esme replied. "Bella is going to be okay, Edward."

"Yeah?" I asked and Esme nodded. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because she has angels watching over her." Giving me a hug first, Esme turned and walked back down the hallway.

Dragging a hand over my face, I turned and walked toward the nursery, a feeling of deja vu washing over me. Almost eleven years had passed since I found myself in this hallway, walking down to see my baby while my wife lay in her bed, tired and weak. Of course with Sarah, she'd had a C-section because the stress of labor and delivery was too much for her heart to take. Maybe Bella should have had one, too. A shiver washed over me, and I swallowed against the bile creeping up my throat. I couldn't lose Bella now, not after everything we'd both fought so hard for. Our children needed her. I needed her.

Pushing open the doors to the nursery, I drew the attention of our pediatrician and nurses who were crowded around my daughters. Dr. Benjamin Strong had taken over the boys' health when their doctors retired a few years ago, and when we found out about the girls, we called him and asked him to be their doctor, too. He had a gentle demeanor that made my sons feel comfortable with him, and I wanted my daughters to have the same caring touch. Though, right now all I wanted was for Bella to be okay, to be here to help me raise our children.

"Are the babies okay?" I asked, unable to keep the tremor out of my voice.

"Considering they're early, they're more than okay," Benjamin stated, lifting one of the babies up in his arms. "Would you like to hold her?"

All I could do as I scrambled across the room was nod. I'd been looking forward to holding them for months, but of course, I had expected Bella to be sitting next to me while I held them, too.

"Here," he murmured, sliding the tiny baby into my arms.

"Which one is this? Baby A or B?" I asked, staring at the gorgeous girl in my arms. She was small and delicate. Her skin was red, and the small amount of hair I could see on her head was dark. Her eyes were closed, and every few seconds she would open her mouth like she was going to begin to cry, but wouldn't.

"She is baby B," he told me. "This little beauty is baby A."

I gathered baby A in my other arm and sat in one of the rocking chairs in the nursery. The babies looked almost identical, the only difference was that baby B was a little smaller than her sister and baby A's hair seemed lighter. They were beautiful and perfect.

"How much do they weigh?" I asked.

"Baby A was just over five pounds. Five pounds, two ounces to be exact, and her sister was four pounds ten ounces. Quite remarkable for being seven weeks early."

I nodded. "And they're okay? Their lungs and stuff?"

"They seem to be. We're going to be monitoring them both closely, but they're strong, Edward. Just like Bella."

A tear slipped down my face as I held them. "You're mommy is going to be okay, sweet girls," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "She loves you so much — so very, very much."

—MF—

I couldn't bring myself to leave my daughters, not even when they needed to get them cleaned up and run some tests. Instead of the nurses giving my daughters their first baths, I did. Instead of the nurses laying my daughters down on a cold table to draw blood and check them out from head to toe, I held them in my arms, soothing away the tears that filled their eyes and reassuring them that I wasn't going anywhere, and I wasn't. Not ever.

An hour passed, and I still hadn't heard anything from Tia about Bella. With each passing minute, my heart began to ache more and more. Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, Sue, Emmett, and Alice brought Alex and Anthony to the nursery window so they could see their little sisters. They smiled and waved, looking happier than I had seen them since our little family was forged together all those years ago. I wanted to draw Alex and Anthony into my arms, to hold them, too, but right now, I needed to be with my daughters, and I knew my family was taking care of my sons.

As another hour drew to an end, the door to the nursery opened and I looked over to see Tia coming in. She was still wearing her scrubs, and had a grim expression on her face.

"Here, I'll take the babies," one of the nurses offered, but I shook my head.

"I've got them," I told her, barely able to speak over a whisper as I stood up. It looked like she was going to argue with me for a moment, but then she nodded her head and went to check on one of the other babies in the nursery. "Is Bella okay?"

Tia swallowed hard and shifted her eyes up to mine. "For now."

A feeling of relief filled me, but I could tell there was more she needed to tell me. "What happened to her?"

"Her blood pressure shot up. She started to bleed out and I couldn't get it to stop." Tia paused for a moment. "Edward, I had to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and it took a long time for me to be able to stop her from bleeding."

I gasped.

"If I hadn't, she would have died," Tia explained, tearing her surgical cap off her head. "Fuck, Edward, I didn't have a choice!"

"I know. I just . . ." I shook my head. "But she's going to all right now, right?"

"I hope so," Tia said. "Her blood pressure is still too high, but that's not surprising considering the trauma her body went through. I have her on a high dose of pain and blood pressure meds. She's going to have a lengthy recovery, Edward. Not only did she give birth to twins today, but she had major abdominal surgery."

"When can I see her?" I asked, rocking back and forth as the babies began to fuss.

"In about an hour. She's in recovery now, and I need to make sure that she doesn't start bleeding again. She's a fighter, Edward."

"Yeah, I know," I whimpered, looking down at the beautiful babies in my arms. "Thank you, Tia. You know, for just taking care of her for me."

"You're welcome, I guess," she mumbled, clearly uncomfortable. "Bella is a special woman, Edward. I've never seen someone fight so hard for those she loves."

"She's amazing," I whispered. "And I can't lose her, Tia. I need her too damn much."

"You won't." And though I knew she really wanted to believe that Bella would be fine, but we both knew there weren't any guarantees. Bella and I had both lived through the loss of the one person we loved more than anything. Now, I had the sinking feeling I was going to live through it again.

"I'll come get you when we move her back into her room," Tia said, placing her hand on my arm. "Will you be here or in the waiting room?"

"Here," I whispered. "Bella would want me to stay with the girls."

"Yeah, she would."

With a sad smile, Tia left me alone. I settled back into the rocking chair and held my daughters tighter.

—MF—

Another hour passed while I sat in the nursery holding my daughters. If the nurses hadn't been constantly walking around me to check on the babies, I wouldn't have been paying attention to the time. Finally, Tia came back in and told me she had moved Bella back into her room.

As much as I hated it, I knew I couldn't take the babies out with me, so I laid them back into the arms of the nurses and followed Tia out into the hallway. However, before I could go into Bella's room, I saw Alex and Anthony standing in the doorway of the waiting room. The fear and anxiousness on both of their faces nearly dropped me to my knees.

"Excuse me," I muttered and ran down the hallway to them. They were in my arms, their bodies shaking as they cried with me. They might not have known exactly what had happened to their mother, but they knew something was wrong. "I love you both so much."

"We love you, too." Anthony was the first to lean away from me and when he shifted his eyes to mine, my heart began to ache. "Momma?"

"She's okay," I told him, cupping his face in my hand while keeping my arm around Alex. "There was a problem after the babies were born, and she had to have surgery, but she's okay."

"Promise?" he cried.

"I promise, little man," I assured him. "Come on, let's go see her."

He nodded so I stood up, keeping him and Alex in my arms and walked them down the hallway toward Bella's room. I knew the rest of our family was anxious to see her, too, but they would wait and let the boys and I have this moment with her. Tia gave me an unsure look when the boys and I walked up to her, but she didn't say anything as she opened the door and stepped inside.

We followed her, and once again, I felt my heart clench tightly in my chest. Bella was lying on her bed with a tube in her nose. There was a monitor on the far side of her bed that showed her heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure — which was still higher than it should be. Moving over to the bed, I reached around Alex and grabbed Bella's hand, noting how cold her skin felt.

"Don't leave us, Bella," I begged. "Alex, Anthony, and I need you so much. Baby, Abigail and Audrey need you. Please don't leave us!"


	31. Chapter 31

**BPOV**

The only thing I could think of as the heaviness slowly slipped off of me was how my entire body hurt. Not just hurt, but ached. Like I'd been hit by a bus, pulled back onto my feet, and hit once more. It took a few moments, but the sound of my daughters' crying, the pure happiness that I felt when I heard them, echoed throughout my memories, followed closely by the dark shadow that stole me away from the love of my life. The look of horror on Edward's face in those few moments would stay with me for the rest of my life.

A moan trickled out of my mouth, and I felt someone lift my hand off the bed, bringing it up to their lips. I smiled, knowing immediately that it was Edward.

"Bella," he whispered. "Baby, I'm here. Wake up."

Prying my eyelids apart, I searched the room for him, unsurprised to find him sitting next to my bed, holding my hand. Always holding onto me. My lips were dry as I whispered, "Hi."

Edward smiled. "Hi." Placing another kiss on my knuckles, he released a shaky breath. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry," I muttered, wincing. "What happened?"

"You, um, you started bleeding out because of your blood pressure," he explained as a dark shadow filled his features. "Tia rushed you down to the OR." Edward paused. "Bella, she had to perform a hysterectomy."

My eyes fluttered to a close as a pain filled my heart. To most it would seem selfish or irrational, but the knowledge that a part of me had been taken away was hard to handle. Granted Edward and I had four children, and we hadn't planned on having anymore after the girls, it still stung that a part of what made me a women had been removed.

"Bella," he said, and I looked over at him. It wasn't until he wiped the tears off my checks that I realized I'd been weeping. "She had to. You would have died."

"I know," I whimpered. "Are the girls okay? It's so early."

Edward smiled. "They're perfect. Abigail weighed five pounds two ounces while Audrey weighed four pounds ten ounces."

"Wow, I didn't think they'd be that big," I murmured, shifting on my bed and then wincing. "Are their lungs okay? Where are they?"

"They're in the nursery," he told me. "Thankfully, both babies seem to be doing well. They are keeping a close eye on them, since they were so early. But Benjamin thinks they are going to be just fine, love."

"Thank God," I whimpered. "If something had happened to them . . ."

Before Edward could respond, the door to my room opened and we looked over to see Tia standing there. Her normally silky back hair had been pulled up in a messy ponytail on the back of her head, and it looked like she hadn't run a brush through it in days. Narrowing her eyes at me, she walked into the room, letting the heavy wooden door close behind her.

"You just can't do anything the easy way, can you?" she snarled. "You were supposed labor for a few hours before you gave birth to your babies. But no! You had to almost bleed out on me!"

"Are you expecting me to apologize?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Because believe me, I would rather not have gone through this experience."

Tia sighed and sat on the bottom of my bed. "I'm sorry. You just . . . Well, you scared the shit out of all of us." She shifted her eyes over to mine. "You're very lucky that you didn't have a stroke."

I wasn't sure how to respond. I had done everything they asked of me over the last few months. I'd stayed in bed because I didn't want my blood pressure to get worse; I took my medication, not that it helped. Did they think that I was so selfish that I would put my daughters' lives at risk? That I wasn't painfully aware of just how close I'd come to not only leaving Edward without a wife, but leaving my children without their mother.

Tears filled my eyes and I turned away, unable to voice the words bubbling to the tip of my tongue. Alex and Anthony had already lost one parent, and I'd almost left them without the mother they both desperately needed. Edward would have held them close, would have raised Alex, Anthony, Abigail, and Audrey to be amazing adults, but one more part of his soul would have been shredded. Just like after Sarah died.

"Bella," Tia murmured, and I shifted my gaze to her. "You should be fine after a few weeks. Your blood pressure is still high, but not as high as it was before the babies were born. You're still a bit anemic, which didn't help when you were bleeding out, so I am giving you an iron supplement to help."

"When can I see the girls?" I begged.

"I'll let the nursery know that you're awake and ready to meet your daughters." Tia smiled and stood up. She placed her hand on my blanket covered foot. "Congratulations, Bella, on two beautiful and healthy baby girls."

"Thank you," I cried, unsure why in that moment I felt the surge of emotions.

Tia nodded and walked over to my door, pulling it open. However, she stopped in the doorway and looked back at me when she saw Alex, Anthony, and Charlie standing there. My sons shifted their attention around her and looked at me. The range of emotions that filled their faces had my heart clenching. Heartache, fear, grief, longing, love, and hope — suddenly it was like they were five years old again and were begging Edward and I to be the parent they had been missing.

With tears pouring down my face, I opened my arms to them. Alex and Anthony nearly leapt across the room to get to me. Carefully, they climbed onto my bed, one on each side and cuddled around me. Tia looked like she was going to protest, but then the sound of the boys sobbing echoed throughout the room and she promptly closed her mouth and left my room.

"Oh, my darling boys," I whimpered. "I love you so much."

"We love you, too," Alex mumbled, his words coming out thick and filled with emotions.

"I thought I wasn't going to have a momma anymore," Anthony whispered. The room was eerily silent as my son confessed his feelings. Normally not the type to let his fears show, Anthony was revealing a part of himself to his brother, father, grandfather, and I. "All I could think about were the babies, how they needed a momma, too."

"And they have one," I whispered. "I'm not leaving you, Anthony. Not for a long, long time."

"Promise?" he cried, burying his face in my neck.

"I promise, sweet boy." And I meant what I said. Wincing from the weight of the boys on me, I shifted to find a more comfortable position, but all that did was make the pain worse.

"You okay, Bells?" Charlie asked, walking over to the end of my bed.

"I'm fine," I lied, because if I told them that I was hurting, my boys would feel guilty for hurting me.

"Mmhmm," he hummed with a nod. Blinking several times, he cleared his throat. "I, um—"

Before my father could finish speaking, someone knocked on the door to my room, but didn't wait for us to reply before they opened the door. Looking over, we saw Sue, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice.

"Can we come in?" Esme asked. The hope in her tone was so sincere; I nodded before anyone could say no. She pushed Carlisle and Emmett into the room, both of whom grumbled under their breaths about her being impatient. If it wouldn't hurt, I would have laughed. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"I'm okay," I told her, knowing if I told her that I was in pain that she would usher everyone out and smother me with her love. Esme Cullen was my mother in every way but blood, and I loved her for it.

Edward sighed and reached across the bed and our sons, grabbing my button that would deliver me some more pain medication and clicked it three times. "Stubborn."

"Yet you love me," I murmured, smiling.

"I do," he replied, pulling Alex off the bed before settling in his chair. "Momma's hurting, guys. Give her some room."

Anthony nearly leapt off the bed, and I glared at Edward. "I wasn't ready for them to move yet."

"I don't care. You're in pain," he rebutted.

"Sorry, Momma," Alex and Anthony said together.

"Don't be sorry," I replied. "How about you sit on the bottom of my bed, okay?"

The boys nodded, but didn't make a move.

I sighed and looked at Charlie. "Dad, help them up."

Charlie looked unsure on whether or not he should help them onto the end of my bed, but he did as I asked, and helped them sit by my feet. The room fell into an awkward silence — one that reminded me of the morning when Alex and I joined the Cullens for brunch. They'd all seemed so unsure on how to act around me, like I was suddenly going to break apart if they dared to breathe around me. Who knew that almost six years from then I would be married to Edward and we would have just added twin girls to the mix. I sighed, anxiously.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked, grabbing my hand.

"Nothing," I murmured.

However, Edward didn't believe me and he scooted to the edge of his seat, bringing my hand up to his lips. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"I want to see the girls," I admitted. "You've all seen them, right?" Everyone nodded. "Well, I'd like to see my daughters."

Once more before Edward could reply, the door to my room opened and we all looked over. Tia held the door open while two nurses each pushed in a plastic bassinet. My heart leapt in my chest and I attempted to push myself up in my bed, only to cry out when my body exploded in pain.

"Hold on, Bella," Tia warned, rushing over to my bed. She slipped her arm around me and helped me scoot up an inch or two. "You have to be careful. You're body has been through a great deal between giving birth and emergency surgery."

"I know," I whimpered. "Can I hold them? Please?"

"Of course you can," she said with a smile.

Turning to Edward, I pleaded with him to give me my girls. He nodded and picked the baby closest to him up first. Turning, he placed her in my arms. She was tiny. Her skin was a delicate pink, and from what I could tell, she had soft, auburn hair. She opened her eyes, and seemed to look right at me, though I knew she most likely wasn't. A moment later, Edward placed her sister in my other arm. Her hair looked darker, but not by much. When she opened her eyes, I saw that she had the same delicate green eyes that Edward and Anthony had.

"Hello, sweet girls," I whispered, unable to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. "I'm your mommy. I can't tell you how happy I am that you're here. Thank you for making our family complete."

"Can I hold one of them?" Alex asked, and I smiled.

"Of course you can," I told him.

Edward slipped the second baby from my arms and placed him in Alex's waiting arms. Then, he lifted the first baby and placed her in Anthony's arms. My boys sighed and looked at each other with huge smiles before turning and looking at the sisters' they'd so desperately wanted.

"What are their names?" Anthony asked, keeping his eyes locked on the baby in his arms.

Edward shifted his eyes to me, and I nodded.

"You're holding Abigail Sarah," I told him, and he snapped his eyes up to mine.

"Sarah?" he whispered, thickly. "After my mother?"

I nodded, dislodging my tears. "She's every bit a part of our family as anyone, sweetheart."

"Abigail Sarah," Anthony whispered, leaning toward his sister, "Alex and I are going to be the best brothers. We'll never let anyone pick on you, and we'll never leave you behind. We promise."

"Yeah," Alex echoed, looking over at me. "What's her name?"

"Audrey Mallory, after Brody," I told him, bringing my hand up to my mouth.

Alex nodded and looked down at Audrey. "I love you, Audrey."

Somewhere between the vow to teach them how to throw a baseball and show them how to ride a bike, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Almost like a warm summer's day, the sound of Brody and Sarah's laughter echoed throughout the room, but nobody else seemed to hear them. But I knew that wherever Brody and Sarah were, they were happy for our family.


	32. Chapter 32

**EPOV**

"Have you seen my hairbrush?" Bella asked.

Shifting my eyes up from the small bundle in my arms, I smiled. "It's by the sink. Want me to get it for you?"

"Nope," she murmured, pushing herself up off the bed. Bella blew out a heavy breath and brought her hand up to her stomach.

"You okay?" I asked, standing up with Audrey in my arms.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Still hurts a little."

I nodded and watched as Bella shuffled across her hospital room and picked up her hair brush. Turning, she leaned against the vanity and began brushing her hair, letting a content sigh slip from between her lips. It'd been two weeks since Abigail and Audrey were born; two weeks since I found myself face down on the floor, worried that I was going to lose my wife. Two long, hard weeks since I'd faced my worst fears, and here we were — getting ready to take our daughters home from the hospital.

The last two weeks had been some of the hardest in my life. While the girls were healthy considering their premature entry into the world, Benjamin refused to release them until he was one-hundred and ten percent sure they were going to be okay, which meant a lot of constant monitoring. Not only were the girls being continuously watched, but so was Bella. Her blood pressure was still too high, and the first few times Tia got her out of bed to walk, Bella nearly passed out. It took almost a week to get her blood pressure under control, and then another few days of extra monitoring to make sure there weren't any adjustments that needed to be made to her medication. Bella struggled a lot with her confinement, but as usual, tried not to let it get the best of her. She continued to amaze me with her strength.

"When are Charlie and the boys supposed to be here?" Bella asked, slowly walking over to the bed and dropping her brush into her bag. Today was the first day she'd managed to shower by herself since before the girls were born, though I had been eager to join her every other time.

"Should be any minute," I replied, moving over and placing Audrey in her bassinet.

She whimpered for a moment, but then quieted down. She was a daddy's girl already, and preferred being in my arms. I loved every moment of it. Shifting my eyes over to Abigail, who was sound asleep, I smiled. Where Audrey loved nestling herself in my arms, Abigail seemed to prefer being laid against Bella's chest.

"Both girls have been changed and fed. Which means they won't get here until it's time to feed them again," I added.

"Probably." Bella laughed and sat on the edge of the bed, blowing out a deep breath.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, moving so that I was standing in front of her. "Tia would probably let you stay one more day."

"I'm fine," she was quick to answer. "Sitting and standing still hurts a little, but I'm okay."

"Hmm, if you're sure," I murmured.

Bella smiled. "I am. Just ready to get out of this place and take the girls back to the apartment."

I nodded and brought my hands up to her face, caressing her skin with my thumbs. Leaning down, I kissed her. Bella moaned, sliding her hands around my hips and pulling me toward her. Just as her lips parted, allowing me access to her mouth, two things happened. One, the door to Bella's room opened and the sound of two boys gagging, and one man growling filled the room, and two, the sound of Alex, Anthony, and Charlie's outrage that I dared to kiss my wife startled Abigail and Audrey and they began to cry.

Bella groaned and pulled her mouth away from mine, glaring at her father and our sons as I helped her stand up. "Get a grip. He can kiss me if he wants."

"But does he have to do it all the time?" Anthony muttered. "Look what happened last time you two kissed," he added, gesturing to his sisters.

I scoffed and picked Abigail up while Bella lifted Audrey to her chest. "Dude, you seriously don't think babies are made by kissing, do you?"

Anthony simple stared at me with a blank expression.

"Oh, man, he does," Bella muttered. "We have failed as parents." She shook her head and walked over to him. Carefully holding Audrey with one hand, she placed her other hand on Anthony's shoulder. "When two people love each other, they have sex."

"Ew!" Anthony, Alex, and Charlie grimaces, making both of us laugh.

"I'm not stupid," Anthony exclaimed, gesturing to Charlie. "Alex and I found Grandpa's magazines last summer." Charlie choked as he gasped. "My point was that kissing leads to . . . that."

"Whoa!" Bella laughed, pulling her hand back from our son and looking over at Charlie. "Dad?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "I, um, I had them in a box in the garage. Sue doesn't like me looking at them so I keep them out there."

"Daddy!" Bella exclaimed.

"Oh, stop!" Charlie snorted. "I was single man for a long time, Bella. Something had to get me through the winter."

"Edward, take Audrey so I can throw up," Bella mumbled, shaking her head. "I did not need hear that, Dad. Just keep your porn stash away from my children."

"I didn't tell them to go look through my stuff," Charlie muttered under his breath.

"Whatever," Bella scoffed, shaking her head. "Did you see Tia out in the hall?"

"No," Charlie replied, walking around the boys and holding his arms open. "I want to hold my granddaughter."

"Not sure I can trust you not to corrupt her, but okay."

Bella laughed as she shifted Audrey into Charlie's arms. He made a face, but didn't say anything else to her. Instead, he moved over and sat on the bed, gazing at her with a wide smile. I stepped up next to him and handed him Abigail. For a moment it looked like he was going to protest holding them both, but then he relaxed.

"I'll go see if I can find Tia, baby," I told Bella, kissing her forehead.

She sighed. "Thank you."

Giving the boys a look that clearly said not to give their mother any shit, I walked out of Bella's room and went in search of Tia. I'd just stopped at the nurses' desk when the elevator pinged and I saw her step off. She spied me standing next to the desk and began laughing.

"Looking for me?" she chimed, sliding to a stop beside me.

"Yep," I said. "We're ready to leave."

"Okay." Tia turned the counter and pulled out a stack of papers. "I want to see her next week. I set her appointment up for two in the afternoon, but if that doesn't work, just call the office and they will give you whatever time works for you. I've made it clear they are to accommodate you and Bella."

"Why?" I asked. Tia paused and looked up at me. "It's not that I'm unappreciative of everything you've done for us, but you've gone well beyond the call of duty for us ever since Bella found out she was pregnant. I just want to know why."

Tia smiled, angling her body so that she was facing me. "Has Bella every told you how she and I met?"

I shook my head. "She just told me that she saw you when she was pregnant with Alex, too."

"She did." Tia frowned. "My father was the man who killed her fiancé."

I inhaled a sharp breath.

"I'm not surprised she didn't tell you. Bella's always insisted that it wasn't my father's fault, but he passed out behind the wheel, and ended up running a stop sign. I rushed to Forks the moment the hospital called. I meet Bella in the waiting room while we waited for word from someone — anyone. My father had had a mild heart attack, but was otherwise fine, and Brody was dead. My father was being released from the hospital when they brought Bella in after Brody's funeral. He insisted on staying, to make sure she was all right. We were sitting out in the waiting room, just down from Charlie when they came out and told him that she was fine, just pregnant. My father crumbled in my arms, sobbing about how he had stolen her baby's father from her and how it was all his fault."

Tia sighed again. "I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I wrote Bella a note telling her that if she wanted, I would be her doctor free of charge. I never expected her to show up in my office the next week. It was awkward and hard at first, but Bella told me she didn't blame my father, that he'd just been in the wrong place, at the wrong time. It took a while for me to understand that she was referring to both Brody and my father, but that's Bella for you. Stronger than she should have to be, more forgiving than most."

"She is," I agreed. "I know I've thanked you already, but I can never repay you for all that you've done for me and my family. Bella, the boys, the girls — Tia, they're everything to me."

Tia smiled. "I know, Edward, and you're welcome. Bella's a lucky woman to have you."

"No, I'm the lucky one," I disagreed.

"Perhaps you're right." Tia turned her attention back to the stack of papers. "Let's get through all of this so you can take your family home."

Agreeing with a nod, Tia went through the rest of the papers, which just detailed what Bella was allowed to do or not do. Once we had gone through all of them, I signed Bella's discharge papers and followed Tia back to Bella's room with a wheelchair in tow. When we opened the door, I smiled at the sight of Alex and Anthony holding Abigail and Audrey again. They never seemed to get tired of holding them, and each time the vision nearly brought me to my knees. I was definitely the luckiest man in the world.

"Well, who is ready to go home?" Tia asked, laughing.

"Me!" Bella snickered, raising her hand before she stood up. Though she tried to hide it from the boys, I saw the flinch when she stood. "More than ready."

"Okay, well, Edward has your papers, so you're a free woman," Tia told her. "If you need anything, call me, okay?"

"Thank you, Tia," Bella said with sincerity. "For everything."

"You're welcome." And with one more smile, Tia left.

Carefully, Bella settled in the wheelchair without argument, which surprised me. One at a time, I placed the girls in her arms and then the boys, Charlie, and I gathered the last of her flowers, balloons, and our bags. With one last look around her hospital room, I grabbed the back of Bella's chair and pushed her out into the hallway.

Charlie and the boys stayed with Bella while I went out and pulled the car up in front of the hospital. Again, one at a time, I got Abigail and Audrey loaded into their car seats, blinking back the tears at how tiny they seemed. Once they were secure, I helped Bella into the front seat, while the boys climbed into the back of our SUV. Charlie gave me a look before he closed the door and told us he would follow us home.

"Ready?" I asked, looking over at Bella.

"More than ready," she replied, placing her hand on my arm and looking into the backseat at our children. "Ready, boys?"

"Yep," they said together.

"Let's go home," Alex added.

Shifting the car into drive, I pulled away from the hospital and headed home.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in front of our new house. Bella gasped, and looked over at me with tears filling her beautiful brown eyes.

"What are we doing here?" she sniffled.

"We live here," I laughed, but before she could argue with me, I climbed out of the car and rushed around to her side, opening the door. "Do you trust me?"

"With everything," she replied. "But you need to explain to me what's going on."

"I will, but not until we are inside."

Sighing, Bella nodded. The boys climbed out of the car and went to stand on the sidewalk with their mother while I carefully lifted the girls from their car seats. Placing Abigail in Bella's arms first, I led her, Alex, and Anthony up from the front walk to the front door and opened it. Motioning for her to go first, she gave me a look but stepped through the threshold just as Charlie pulled up behind us.

"What the hell?" Bella gasped as I followed her and the boys inside.

Standing in the living room of our new house was Emmett, Rose, Elliott, Jasper, Alice, Ivy, Carlisle, Esme, Sue, Seth, and Jacob Black. Though I knew their presence wasn't what had shocked her. No, it was the fact that everything we owned had been moved into the house.

Bella looked over at me. "Explain."

"I'll let Emmett explain."

"Emmett?" Bella whispered, turning her attention to my brother.

He shifted nervously. "I might have paid for a second crew to come in so that the house would be ready last week."

"What?" Bella whimpered.

"Look, don't be pissed, okay?" Emmett pleaded, placing his hand on Rose's back. "After losing your house and being shoved into that shithole apartment, and I don't care if I cussed, I couldn't stand the thought of you taking my nieces there. So I talked to Rose, and she agreed, that we should help nudge things along a bit."

"And then I talked to Jasper, who had some contacts in the business. He helped push through the paperwork and get an inspector out here," Rose explained.

"Of course we didn't expect you to go into labor so early," Jasper added, giving us a sheepish smile. "We still have some painting to do upstairs in your bedroom and in the kitchen and dining room, too. Also there are some baseboards on back order as well as half the cabinets in the kitchen, but this place is up to code and livable."

Bella brought a hand up to her mouth. "You did all of this for me? For us?"

"Of course we did," Alice said, her words laced with tears. "We love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," she cried, turning toward me. "And you knew?"

"Not until three days ago," I told her. "Emmett, Jasper, Ben, Garrett, Seth, and Jacob needed our keys so they could get our stuff moved in. They told me, but I wanted you to be surprised."

"Well, I am certainly surprised," she giggled through her tears. Bella turned back to our family. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Carlisle murmured.

"Now, we're going to get out of your way so you can get settled in," Esme declared, making it clear that nobody was to argue with her. She walked up to Bella, placing a tender hand on my wife's cheek. "Welcome home, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Esme," she whispered.

One by one, our family bid us goodbye before they left. Once the front door was shut, the boys took off upstairs to check out their bedroom. I placed my hand on Bella's back and slowly led her upstairs and into the girls' room. Just as we had envisioned, the walls had been painted a soft butter yellow. Along the far wall were two dark brown cribs. There was also a matching dresser, changing table, and a rocking chair that was positioned in front of the window. Several book shelves had been anchored to the wall and held books, teddy bears, and a photo of me, Bella, Alex, and Anthony on the day when Bella and I adopted the boys.

"It's perfect," she whispered, looking up at me with a smile.

"I have one more thing to show you," I told her, griping her elbow and leading her across the hallway to our bedroom. The boys were waiting for me, each of them standing next to a handcrafted cradle. The boys and I had spent the last two months putting them together; something that I knew was just as important to them as it was to me. "A gift."

"Oh, look at them," Bella gushed, walking over to them. Each cradle had been stained to match their cribs in their bedroom. The only difference was that I had carved their initials in the ends of them without letting the boys know. Bella ran her hand over Abigail's, smiling. "Abigail Sarah Cullen, welcome home."

Bella placed the baby in the cradling, making sure she was covered with the blanket. Following her led, I walked over and placed Audrey in her cradle. "Welcome home, Audrey Mallory Cullen."


	33. Chapter 33

**BPOV**

"Baby," Edward whispered, pressing his body against mine. I moaned as goose bumps spread over my skin, causing Edward to laugh softly. "Baby, are you awake?"

"No," I murmured, leaning toward him.

"I think you are," he purred, and my pussy tingled. "I want you."

"Edward." I moaned again as his hands traveled down my sides, slipping under the cotton T-shirt I had worn to bed. His fingers grazed the stretch marks that never faded after Abigail and Audrey were born, across the small scar from the emergency surgery that saved my life, and into my black shorts and white cotton panties. "Fuck, Edward!"

"Yes, baby, fuck me," he growled, nipping at the small sliver of skin that was exposed on my shoulder.

Edward slipped a finger inside me. Biting my lip to keep from crying out, I parted my legs more, giving him better access. Edward captured my mouth in a searing kiss, but before he could deepen it, the sound of two little girls giggling trickled into our bedroom. Edward barely had time remove his finger from inside of me and roll onto his back when the door was thrown open and Abigail and Audrey leapt onto the bed, landing between us.

"Daddy, Anthony says that when you take us to school, they're gonna lock us away and never let us come home again," Abigail whined with a dramatic flair. "We're not going!"

Smiling, I wrapped my arms around the auburn haired little girl and pulled her onto my lap, leaning my forehead against hers. A pair of dark brown eyes stared at me, a mixture of excitement and fear pouring out of them.

"Oh, my darling girl. What have I told you about listening to what Anthony says?"

Abigail sighed. "Not to because he's just trying to make me mad."

"Why do we have to go to school?" Audrey chimed, her bright green eyes shifting between me and Edward. "Don't you love us anymore?"

"Audrey, you know that Mommy and I love you," Edward scoffed. "You're going to love school. You'll meet all kinds of people, get to play games, and have fun."

"But we like it here with you and Mommy," Audrey whimpered, nestling herself into her father's arms. "We have fun here."

"And we meet all kinds of people at the gallery, too," Abigail added, referring to the gallery Edward opened shortly after the girls were born. A backer had seen his work at the showcase and insisted that Edward allow him to bankroll his next showing, which turned into a huge career move for Edward. He was able to open his own gallery and had become _the _photographer. "School will be a waste of time."

"Yeah," her sister agreed.

Where Abigail had Edward's auburn hair and Audrey had mine, they looked almost exactly alike, with the exception of their eye color. The girls were a perfect mix of me and Edward. And much like their brothers, Abigail was more flamboyant and outgoing, like Anthony, and Audrey was quiet and reserved, just as Alex was.

"Well, sorry, girls, but you have to go to school," Edward replied.

When they started to whine, I laughed and threw the blankets off of me, climbing out of bed. "Enough of that nonsense! Now, if you hurry and get dressed, I will make you something special for breakfast."

"Pancakes?" they squeaked together and I nodded. Faster than I thought possible, my darling little girls leapt off the bed and were out of our room.

"The magic of your pancakes," Edward snickered, climbing out of bed with a groan. Though he tried to be discreet, I saw him adjust himself through his flannel pajama pants.

"Need some help?" I asked, causing him to look over his shoulder at me.

"Yes," he admitted. "But you and I both know they will be back in here if a heartbeat if we attempt to do anything. Little cock-blockers."

I laughed and walked around the bed to him, wrapping my arms around him. "The sooner we take them to school, the quicker we can come home and pick up where we left off."

Edward growled before kissing me. "Let's fucking hurry!"

Giggling, I wiggled out of Edward's arms and walked into the bathroom. I quickly showered and got dressed, knowing Alex, Anthony, Abigail, and Audrey wouldn't be happy if their breakfast wasn't ready soon. I loved my children, but they didn't have a lot of patience.

Leaving Edward to get ready, I walked downstairs, unsurprised to find all four of their backpacks in front of the front door. It was hard to believe that five years had passed. It felt like just yesterday we had brought Abigail and Audrey home from the hospital, and now Edward and I were preparing to send them to school for the first time. A wistful sigh slipped out of my lips. Time moved too fast.

"You okay, Mom?" Alex asked, and I smiled as I looked over my shoulder at him. Having turned sixteen the April before, Alex had grown into a very handsome young man. He was tall, almost six-three, and had broad shoulders. His blond hair was shaggy and his blue eyes sparkled. It was in moments like these that I saw Brody in him. "Mom?"

"I'm fine," I insisted, bringing my hand up to my chest. "Are you hungry? I told your sisters I would make pancakes if they hurried."

"I could eat," he chuckled, patting his belly. "Need help?"

I smiled. "Sure."

Following Alex into the kitchen, I nearly burst out laughing when I saw my mixing bowl, mixing cups, and the ingredients I needed to make pancakes already sitting on the counter and an innocent looking Anthony sitting at the breakfast table.

"Nicely played, little man," I snickered. Of course "little man" wasn't an accurate nickname for Anthony. Much like Alex he had grown to well over six foot tall and even towered over his brother by two inches. Though, unlike Alex's broad structure, Anthony was lanky. His auburn hair had darkened over the years, turning more of a copper color but his eyes were still as green as ever.

Anthony smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ma."

"Yeah, whatever," I scoffed, picking up my favorite wooden spoon and pointing it at him. "You're in big trouble, by the way."

"It wasn't me!" he insisted, shaking his head.

"You don't know what I am talking about," I said. "Someone feeling guilty?"

"No." But I saw the look he and Alex shared. "So what did I do?"

"Told your sisters that if they went to school they weren't going to be allowed to come home." Alex and Anthony began laughing. "It's not funny! You know how scared they've been."

"I was just teasing," Anthony laughed, but at that moment Abigail and Audrey walked into the kitchen and he quieted down.

Unlike their brothers who insisted on wearing jeans and T-shirts to their first day to school, Abigail and Audrey wanted to look special. Last week, Esme, Alice, Rose, Kate, Angela, and I had taken them and Ivy shopping. The girls had the best time picking out outfits and modeling them for us. While Ivy picked a very simple sage green dress that had a white belt wrapped around the waist, making her look older than her eleven years of age, my girls had picked leopard print skirts that flared out. Under their skirts they were wearing black tights and they each had a black tank under a black lace top. With a pair of black and white saddle shoes, they looked beautiful. They had just recently taken over brushing their own hair and had managed to pull the front up with colorful butterfly barrettes. They were almost even.

"How do we look?" Abigail asked, placing her hands on her hips and throwing her head back like she was standing on the runaway and not inside our kitchen.

"Beautiful," I said, while Anthony and Alex said, "Like brats."

"Mom!" Abigail whined, and I glared at my sons.

"Sorry," Alex and Anthony muttered, but I could tell they didn't mean it.

"Girls, get the juice out of the fridge," I told them. "Alex, turn the griddle on, Anthony, I need plates."

Edward joined us just before I poured the first pancake on the griddle. "Morning."

"Morning, Dad," the boys muttered. Edward leaned around and kissed my check, earning groans from our sons and giggles from the girls.

"Coffee, babe?" Edward asked, ignoring our children.

"Please," I told him.

Just then the sound of Alex's cell phone chimed indicating that he had a new text message. One look at his rosy red cheeks confirmed that Anna was texting him, as she did every morning. Even after so many years, they were still together, still in love, and something told me, they always would be. Sitting next to Alex, Anthony rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. It wasn't that he didn't like Anna — because he considered Anna to be one of his best friends — it was more that he didn't understand why Alex would tie himself down by one woman, as he so eloquently put it. Anthony seemed to have a different girlfriend every week.

Edward spared me a wink as he began making coffee. Once it was ready, he set my cup in front of me, slipping his arm around my waist. It was moments like these, where my children were seated around the table and my husband was holding me in his arms that I remember just how lucky I was. I had come so close to leaving my children without their mother, my husband without a wife, and every day I am thankful that I am still here, still able to make my family breakfast on their first day of school.

Alex and I quickly made a large stack of pancakes, which were just as quickly eaten by all of us. Once we were done, Abigail and Audrey dragged Alex and Anthony from the kitchen and to the front door with me and Edward following. It was clear that while they were both nervous about school, they were excited, too.

Declaring it was time to leave the house, we filed out of the house and climbed into our suburban. The girls were in the third row, while the boys filled the middle, and Edward and I were in the front. Our drive from the house to boys' high school only took us ten minutes. Edward parked in front, and I turned in my seat to look at them, knowing that after so many years, I didn't have to reassure them that everything would be okay. They were starting their junior year, and I couldn't have been prouder of them.

"We have soccer after school," Alex reminded us, opening his door. He and Anthony climbed out, but before he shut the door, he looked into the backseat at his little sisters. "School ain't too bad. Just remember that you're not alone. You have each other."

"Like you and Anthony did," Audrey giggled.

Alex smiled. "Just like us. Have fun, squirts."

"Love you, Al!" they sang together.

He smiled bigger. They were the only people on the earth he allowed to call him Al. "Love ya, too."

Alex stepped back, and Anthony moved to the open door. "Whatever you do, don't jump off the swings." Anthony quickly looked at me. "Mom will freak out."

"I tend to do that when you break your head open," I muttered, but I doubt they heard me seeing as the girls started laughing.

"Swings are for babies," Abigail giggled.

"Yeah, and we're not babies," Audrey added with a smile.

"Nah, you're just a couple of brats," he teased, reaching a fist into the backseat. "Be cool, okay?"

"Okay," they said, each giving him a fist bump.

"Love ya, brats," Anthony called out before shutting the door.

Alex and Anthony walked over to where Elliott, Mattie, and Anna were waiting for them. The moment Alex reached Anna, he had her in his arms and had placed a simple kiss on her lips. I couldn't help but smile. They were beautiful together.

"Go, Daddy, go!" Audrey cheered.

"All right," Edward replied, winking at me.

The drive to Clover Elementary was made in a mixture of awkward silence and calming laughter — the silence from Edward and I and the laughter from Abigail and Audrey. Their excitement was building while Edward and I were both dealing with increasing nerves. Ten years of marriage had taught me how to read my husband, and I knew he was just as scared and nervous as I was.

After several minutes, Edward parked in the back parking lot of the school and the four of us climbed out. Audrey was quick to attach herself to her father, while Abigail slipped her hand into mine. Together, we walked over to Alice's classroom, smiling when we Angela, who looked like she was struggling not to cry, and Ben standing next to Jude. They'd made the decision to hold him back a year due to the fact that his birthday was in August. They didn't want him to be the youngest in his class, and worried that he wasn't mature enough to start school the year before. Personally, I was glad that Jude, Abigail, and Audrey would be in the same classroom.

"Morning," Alice greeted, looking from Edward to me, and down at the girls. "Wow, you two look beautiful this morning."

"Thanks, Aunt Ali," Audrey whispered. "I mean, Mrs. Whitlock."

"You're welcome." Alice smiled. "Well, are you ready to come inside? We have a lot planned for today."

"I don't want to stay," Audrey cried, turning and wrapping herself around Edward's legs. "Daddy, don't make me stay!"

"Oh, baby girl, you're going to have so much fun," Edward cooed, sliding his arms under hers and picking her up. Audrey nestled herself into his embrace, her sobbing cries muffled by his chest. My heart broke for my daughter.

"I want to stay with you, Daddy!"

Edward looked at me, his eyes wide and full of pain and heartache. "Baby girl, you can't. You have to stay here at school with Abigail and Jude and Aunt Ali. They're gonna take good care of you."

"Promise?" Audrey whimpered.

"I promise," Edward whispered.

Audrey gave a simple nod so Edward put her down. She wiped the tears off her face as she looked from Abigail to Jude, who had a frown on his face. Unlike when Anna started school, Jude hadn't shed a single tear. Instead, he pulled away from his father and slipped his hand into Audrey's.

"Come on," he murmured, giving her hand a gentle tug.

"Okay," Audrey mumbled, looking at Abigail and holding out her other hand. "Coming, sissy?"

Abigail smiled and took her sister's hand. "Let's do this thing!"

While the three of them walked by Alice, I turned toward Edward, struggling to keep my own tears from falling. They say a moment is all you need for your life to be changed forever. There was a time when I would have scoffed and called you crazy if you told me that there would be a moment that changed my life, but I had one. My moment — the second my life changed — was early one morning when I was dropping my then five-year-old son off at school on his first day of kindergarten. We had taken chances and moved forward. Now, we were embracing a new journey.


End file.
